The Potions Master
by Murai-Sakura
Summary: SEQUEL to The Potions Journeyman. Harry decides he doesn't want to be an Auror anymore but rather a Potions Master and will need Snape's supervision to become just that. He creates a potion that will allow him to speak with the dead, which doesn't bode well for Snape's internalized struggle. And then there's the stray Death Eater's. Mentor fic. No slash. Graphic violence. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_Thanks to everyone who stuck with me through TPA and TPJ. Now prepare for TPM!_

* * *

**The Potions Master**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"So let's establish some ground rules," Snape said as he allowed his gaze to meet each and every child now present in the sitting room. "You will all go to bed at a decent hour, namely midnight at the latest. I will not have anyone running around past that time or there will be severe consequences."

Snape was glad to see that he still instilled fear in at least some of Harry's cohorts. Perhaps they would be able to keep the rest of the miscreants in line.

"Ms Granger, Ms Lovegood and Ms Weasley will be sleeping in the guest room at the end of the hall. Under no circumstances are you allowed to mingle with the boys after midnight. Break this rule and I will send you straight home, even if it is the middle of the night. Your door must always be open –"

Harry groaned loudly and he let his head fall back in exasperation.

" – And the lights must be on for as long as you're awake," Snape said, glaring at his defiant son. "I will tolerate no funny business whatsoever."

"Severuuuus," Harry whined, clearly annoyed with Snape's spiel.

Snape narrowed his eyes and glared menacingly before speaking in a tone of voice that many people who didn't know Snape all that well would consider dangerous. "Your parents have entrusted all of you into my care," he said softly, "And I will make sure that they do not have to regret that decision. I am well aware of what goes on in the teenage mind –"

"Merlin, that's enough!" Harry interrupted, hastily jumping to his feet. Hermione was stifling her laughter, covering her mouth with her right hand. Draco wasn't even trying to cover up. He simply chuckled in amusement.

For Harry's birthday party, Snape had agreed that he would be allowed having people over for a slumber party. The number of people he was allowed to ask had been limited but already, Snape was wondering if he had allowed just a tad too much. All in all, there were six people present which didn't seem like a whole lot but if you considered them to be young adults, it put everything in perspective.

The fact that Harry would invite Ms Granger had been a given. The fact that he had invited Ms Weasley had been nothing short of surprising. Subsequently, the redheaded girl had apparently bothered Harry about inviting Ms Lovegood as well which Harry had not refused for whatever reason. The youngest Weasley boy had also been a given but Draco had been somewhat less obvious.

While the boy had become a good friend in Harry's sixth year, there had been the most unfortunate events that had befallen the blonde and Snape hadn't been entirely sure if Draco had recovered enough on an emotional level to be a part of such an energetic occasion as this one. And yet, the boy had jumped on the opportunity and was among the first to confirm.

"Have I made myself clear or need I repeat myself?" Snape asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, we get it already," Harry replied, clearly wanting to escape this awkward situation as fast as he could. Snape redirected his glare toward the other children.

"Don't worry, Professor," Luna said dreamily, "I'm sure everyone understood. Harry's just a bit shy, that's all."

"Very well," Snape nodded, "Then I permit you to go to your room and do whatever it is that children to during a slumber party."

Not having to be told that they were free for a second time, the kids bolted upstairs to Harry's room, nearly tripping over each other in their haste. Only Luna had the common sense to walk like a normal person, waiting patiently for the pile of people in front of her to clear up before ascending the stairs as well, but not before waving goodbye to Snape with a somewhat disconcerting smile curling her lips.

When all children had disappeared from sight, Snape sighed deeply and sunk into one of his chairs. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Muffliato," Harry mumbled as he pointed his wand. Now that he had finally turned seventeen, he was legally allowed to use magic without any repercussions. And it's not as if Snape had told him that he wasn't allowed to. Harry passed around glasses of juice and chocolate biscuits as everyone either took a seat or laid down on the floor.

"What does he even think we'll get ourselves into?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Sex, I assume," Luna said matter-of-factly.

It came so out of the blue that Hermione sputtered helplessly into her juice while Ron all but choked on the biscuits he had already shoved in his mouth.

"Luna, that's mental!" Harry exclaimed, "There's six of us here! I doubt he would think any one of us would try anything like that with an audience."

"Unless he expects an orgy," Draco offered.

Ginny frowned in disgust. "That's going a bit far, don't you think? Let's just agree he has nothing to worry about."

"Naturally," Draco replied evenly, "The logistics simply wouldn't work."

"Yeah, _that's_ the problem," Hermione replied sardonically, "Logistics."

"So, who's up for a game!" Ron interrupted, his face still red and tearstained from choking on the biscuits.

"A game sounds absolutely wonderful," Luna said airily. She leaned back and rested her weight on her arms, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Got anything in mind, Weasley?" Draco asked, gesturing for him to go right ahead.

"How about 'Never have I ever'?" Ron suggested.

"Do you even know the rules to that game?" Draco replied, "You're supposed to drink if you've done what is suggested. We have no booze up here."

"We have pumpkin juice," Harry suggested.

"I believe that the joy of the game lies in getting to know each other better rather than drinking ourselves into a stupor," Luna said happily.

Draco rolled his eyes at the airheaded Ravenclaw but she didn't seem to take notice. Either that or she didn't really mind.

"I think it sounds like fun," Hermione said, "Let's try it!"

"It's your birthday, Harry, so you should probably go first," Ginny offered.

"Well okay," Harry said. He lay flat on his stomach in his bed, his head propped up on his arms as he gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"Never have I ever worn a dress," he said.

"Lame!" Ginny shouted but she took a sip anyway. So did Hermione and Luna.

"Okay, my turn," Ron said since he was sitting to Harry's left. "Never have I ever… seen a live Snallygaster."

"That's even lamer," Harry commented but he drank. So did Draco and Luna. Harry blinked. He knew that Draco probably had to drink but Luna as well?

"My mother used to be friends with one," Luna said happily, "Though she turned invisible when someone unfamiliar approached, she always showed herself for me."

"Sure…" Draco said, "If you say so. You're up Lovegood."

"Well, never have I ever kissed someone in a romantic sort of way."

Instantly, four faces became bright red as all five of the others sipped their juice.

"What?" Ron all but shouted, "Ginny, you kissed some bloke? Who was it?"

"And you kissed someone as well!" Ginny retorted, "Care to elaborate on _that_?"

"Way to go, Potter," Draco chuckled as he slapped Harry on the back, "Didn't know you had it in you. When was this?"

"Hey, don't look at me!" Harry exclaimed, "Hermione also drank. Why don't you harass _her_ about it?"

"Oh, leave her alone, will you?" Ron said, "There's no need for this. We're all grown up here. Well –" he eyed Ginny disapprovingly "- _Almost_ all of us are."

"There's only a year's difference between us," Ginny said haughtily, "It's not my fault that you're a late bloomer."

"Never have I ever," Draco jumped in, "Fallen in love." He grinned as if that was a good thing.

Once again, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione all drank. Luna didn't but seemed quite happy about that. From the corner of his eye, Harry tried to gauge Ginny's reaction but didn't seem very able to place it. She was just blushing fervently but that could be because of a number of reasons. He was so caught up in staring at her that the didn't notice the awkwardness between Ron and Hermione.

When Ginny gathered her senses, she thought of her own question twirling her hair around her index finger as she did. Her beautiful red hair that gleamed like a summer's sunset, cascading down her slender neck.

"Never have I ever had a crush on a teacher," Ginny said. She grinned from ear to ear as she looked at Hermione, wiggling her eyebrows. Ducking somewhat, Hermione sipped her juice.

"What?" Ron exclaimed loudly, "Who?"

"Lockhart," Hermione admitted, "But that was before we found out he was a fraud."

"Anyone else?" Ron asked, looking around the room, "No crushes on Snape or McGonagall? Alright then, Hermione. You're up!"

"Never have I ever gone commando," Hermione said. The purebloods of the party frowned.

"What's commando?" Ron asked curiously.

"Not wearing any underwear underneath your clothes," Harry supplied.

No one had to take a sip, that time.

"Good to know," Luna said, smiling tenderly.

Harry scratched his hand absentmindedly, thinking of a new question.

"Never have I ever…" he stalled, "received an allowance."

Everyone took a sip, even Ron and Harry grinned victoriously. "Ah, see? I suppose I should be more Slytherin about this if I want to win."

"Is anyone even keeping score?" Hermione chuckled.

"I am," Draco said, "And I am winning."

"Oh, pish-posh," Ron said, punching Draco playfully in the shoulder. "Let's see. Never have I ever used Snape's given name."

Draco and Harry shrugged at each other before drinking.

It was Luna's turn again, "Never have I ever almost died twice in a year's time."

"Hold up," Draco said, "What qualifies as almost?"

"Be honest with yourself," Luna said, "If you feel you were in mortal peril at some point, you probably were."

All five of Luna's friends took a sip.

"You know, it would appear I'm rather good at this," Luna chuckled.

"You definitely know how to get to us," Ron agreed, "It's a good thing this stuff isn't fire whiskey or we would all be wasted already."

"We could always sneak a bottle from Severus' stash if you want to up the ante," Draco suggested slyly.

"Absolutely not," Harry objected, "Severus would throw a major fit if he found out."

"He won't," Draco said, "I'm a Slytherin."

"Well, he's the master of all things Slytherin," Harry countered, "He would know what you're trying to pull within minutes."

"Ugh, fine!" Draco said exasperatedly, "You're all acting like a bunch of Gryffindors!"

"Thanks!" replied the golden trio in unison.

"Which reminds me," Draco said, "Never have I ever been sorted into Gryffindor."

Four collective groans sounded before four outwitted Gryffindors took their mandatory sip of pumpkin juice.

"I wonder if the sorting hat would still put us in our respective houses if it needed to choose again," Ginny said.

"Oh, I will always be a Slytherin," Draco said proudly.

"I don't know," Luna said smiling brightly, "You can be very brave Draco. I've seen it! You might do well in Gryffindor."

Draco made a face in disgust. "Don't say that, Loonie! He groaned.

"Don't call her that!" Ginny shouted all of a sudden.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "That's not nice."

"Oh, it's quite alright," Luna said happily, "Isn't giving each other nicknames something friends do?"

"Not those kinds of nicknames," Ginny grumbled, "Take it back, Malfoy!"

"Yeesh, fine!" Draco said, raising his hands in defence, "Sorry, Lovegood. I didn't mean that. Just don't sort me into Gryffindor."

"Oh, I could never," Luna said dreamily, "Only the sorting hat can do that."

"Never have I ever called anyone a mudblood," Ginny said haughtily. Draco flushed a bit but sipped his juice as he glared at the redheaded Weasley girl.

"Somewhat below the belt, don't you think?" He commented, "Perhaps you would do well in Slytherin."

Ginny huffed but said nothing.

"Never have I ever handed in an assignment too late," Hermione said cheerfully. The others groaned loudly and finished their drink.

"I've had quite enough of this," Ron said, "What about you, mate?"

Harry thought that the game might end up causing a fight between Draco and Ginny sooner or later and would rather prevent that. Naturally, he would need to pick Ginny's side and that would make Draco feel even more left out than he already was. No, better to call it quits now.

"Yeah, I guess," Harry agreed, "Any other suggestions?"

"Truth or dare is a classic," Ginny suggested, "I hear even muggles play it."

"Isn't that a bit cliché?" Draco drawled.

"Well, what would _you_ suggest?" Ginny snapped, "Hide and go seek?"

"With Potter and his invisibility cloak?" Draco huffed, "Never!"

"Okay, Harry," Luna said, "Truth or dare?"

"I would go with truth," Harry said since he did not feel up to doing much of anything.

"Okay, Harry. What would you like to do once we're done with Hogwarts?"

"Luna!" Ron said, "What a waste! We all know he wants to be an Auror."

"I don't think that's true," Luna smiled.

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably, swishing his glass of juice. It's true that for a year now, he thought that becoming an Auror was no longer what he wanted. He had faced enough dark wizards and creatures in mortal combat to last him a lifetime. And even though many people would argue that he was particularly good at duelling, he didn't think he wanted to make a living out of it anymore.

It was all well and good when there was still a very real chance that Voldemort – and after that, Lucius – were going to kill him. For a long time, Harry thought he wasn't even going to make it into adulthood. That made the statement that he wanted to become an Auror all the more frivolous and easy to say. It was – in his mind anyway – no more than wishful thinking.

But no. What he wanted now was a life of peace and quiet. He didn't want to endanger himself anymore and what's more, he didn't want to endanger the people closest to him.

When Harry noticed everyone was staring at him, he couldn't help but chuckle helplessly.

"I'm sorry guys," he said, "I guess I don't want to be an Auror. I've kind of had enough of that kind of thing, you know?"

"Of course, Harry," Hermione said, quick to understand. Harry was almost certain that he saw a flash of relief in her eyes.

"Then what do you want to be?" Luna urged, "Or haven't you thought about it yet?"

"I honestly have no idea," Harry said, "Is professional Quidditch player still an option?" Harry laughed at his own joke but was somewhat annoyed with his indecisiveness.

"I'm sure any team would be happy to have Harry Potter as their seeker," Ron shrugged, "Why not? Go for it!"

"You'll know when you know," Luna said, patting Harry gently on his knee. Harry glanced at Ginny who was looking at Luna with slightly narrowed eyes but not another word was said.

"I guess that makes it my turn," Harry said, "Er… Hermione, truth or dare."

"Truth," Hermione said predictably.

Harry was already smirking in triumph, "Well then. Earlier, it was implied that you had already kissed someone. Who was it?"

Hermione's eyes widened and her face went scarlet. Surprisingly enough, so did Ron's.

"Wait," Harry gasped in realisation, "No way! You didn't!'

"It's true," Hermione admitted, "It was Ron."

For a few seconds, no one said anything but then Harry couldn't help but laugh and soon, his friends joined in.

"Hold up," he said in between chuckles, "Was it a spur of the moment thing or is there more going on?"

"You could say we're sort of… dating," Hermione said as she looked shyly at Ron.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked, "Did you think I would be mad?"

"You had other things to worry about," Ron said easily, "For an entire year, some crazy murderer was after you – no offence, Draco – and the year before that was no picknick either."

"You've been together that long already?" Harry asked in disbelief, "How didn't I notice that?"

"You were preoccupied," Hermione shrugged.

"You're okay with it though, right?" Ron asked eagerly.

Harry thought about that for a moment. It was not as if he ever had those kinds of feelings for Hermione so it's not as if he was jealous. And even if he thought there might be a chance that their relationship could endanger their general friendship, he couldn't help but consider that they had apparently been going out for over a year already and Harry hadn't even noticed. If nothing changed for him, why would he be upset?

"Of course I am," Harry replied, "Just try not to get too affectionate in my presence, okay?"

"Deal," Hermione agreed easily. She looked around the room to decide on her next target.

"Okay, Ron," She said slyly, "Truth or dare?"

Ron regarded her with a calculating look before deciding. "Dare."

* * *

Snape had reread that same paragraph three times already and not a single word had registered. It was far too quiet in the house, even though he had asked the rowdy teenagers to keep the door slightly ajar. And they had done that. Snape had made sure.

He was no fool. He knew very well what it meant that he heard nothing but murmurs whenever he came close to Harry's room. He knew why he couldn't listen in to their conversation. The spell Harry had no doubt used was one of his own creations, of course.

Snape growled at no one in particular and took another sip of his fire whiskey.

It's not as if he wanted to listen in to Harry's conversations. He had no desire to be informed of which student dated which and in what way the teachers ranked from most handsome to ugliest. He did not care a bit about teenage angst.

But the fact that Harry had felt the need to keep his discussion private was precisely Snape's problem. What could possibly be important enough to keep hidden? If the things discussed were indeed harmless, why bother covering up?

Snape groaned. He had forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. Had he ever truly been one? He chuckled softly to himself and realized that whatever he thought unimportant might still mean the world to those inexperienced youngsters.

He was just about to resume his reading when he heard something. The rustling of robes. He sighed to himself but did not turn around. Whichever miscreant was sneaking about – clearly up to no good – would not be getting off easy. As he pretended to read, he could clearly pick up the sound of shuffling feet heading towards his lab. Oh, whoever it was, was in big trouble.

The door opened and the teenager in question disappeared. Snape put down his book, cast a disillusionment charm on himself and crept down the stairs. Down there, he came across a certain familiar redhead that had clearly not been spooked enough last Christmas. He was searching for something on the shelves, muttering under his breath as he read the labels.

Snape went to stand right behind him and cancelled his charm. Ron still had no clue though, so Snape crossed his arms and waited.

And he waited.

And he waited some more.

Eventually, Ron's reading skills alerted him to the potion he had been looking for which was an ageing potion for some reason. He took the vial from the shelf and turned around only to be met with the admittedly fearsome sight of the potion master looming over him, arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

Ron yelled loudly in response and dropped the vial. Snape -who was entirely prepared for that possibility – caught the potion and returned it to the shelf by slowly reaching across Ron. The boy didn't dare move a muscle.

"Mr Weasley," Snape said silkily, "You must have an excellent reason to break into my lab and steal an ageing potion."

Ron didn't say a word. He was leaning against the shelf and away from Snape as he trembled in terror.

"I'm waiting," Snape said coldly, "Or would you rather I feed you a few drops of veritaserum. I'm sure I have some lying about here somewhere."

"It was a dare, sir," Ron squeaked.

"Is that so?" Snape asked icily, "And who dared you to come here?"

Ron shrugged and stared back at Snape. For the first time, Snape saw defiance in the boy's eyes.

"Covering for your friends, are you?" Snape said, "Very noble indeed. But it's of no matter really, since you are the one who actually went where he doesn't belong. It would be best if I –" Snape paused for effect " – made an example out of you."

* * *

"You know, you could've been easier on Ron," Harry said at lunch. His friends had already gone home after a birthday party well celebrated, "It was just for a game of truth and dare."

"Are you suggesting that I let you miscreants do whatever you please simply because someone dared you to?" Snape asked incredulously, "I think not."

"I can't believe you fed him that potion, though," Harry chuckled, "Is there an antidote?"

"There is not," Snape confessed, "But it will wear off in a couple of weeks, I imagine."

Harry broke into laughter as he thought about Ron coming back from his unsuccessful mission. His hair had been tinted in every colour of the rainbow, changing colour at random. Depending on what, no one could figure out. Not only that, but Ron had only been able to speak in Limericks.

He had come up with the gem:

When I went downstairs for the potion  
Of Snape's sense of mind had no notion  
Was caught by the bat  
And that friends was that  
And what rhymes with potion is motion

Naturally, they all had been in stitches and everyone had done their best to strike up a conversation with Ron but he refused to say all that much for the rest of the evening.

"I'm sure Fred and George will love spending time with him now," Harry chuckled.

"I'm sure he will have learned his lesson after the potion wears off," Snape said, "And if not, I always have more."

"Please give me some to take to Hogwarts," Harry chuckled.

"And have you create a bunch of poetically challenged troublemakers?" Snape replied, "I think not."

"Suit yourself," Harry shrugged, "I can probably create something like it if I want."

"You should focus on your studies," Snape urged, "Not go about creating silly potions. Being an Auror is hard work and becoming one is no picknick either."

"Yeah, about that…" Harry said sheepishly, "I don't think I want to be an Auror anymore."

Snape raised a curious eyebrow. "Is that right? I have to admit that that's quite a relief to hear. Why not though? If you're insecure about your abilities –"

"It's nothing like that," Harry interjected, "I'm just tired of fighting. That's all."

"Yes, I would imagine so," Snape said thoughtfully, "Do you have any idea what it is you would like to be instead?"

"Maybe," Harry said hesitantly, "Could you perhaps tell me what it takes to become a potions master?"

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_And that is chapter 1 for you. We're off to a new start and are heading into a new adventure. I hope you will all share it with me. _

_Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you all for all the adds and the reviews. You know how to make a girl loved.  
With special thanks to __**Pagemaster4TW**__ for making up one of the Limericks (It's the more provocative one) and for brainstorming with me for hours! Hours, I tell you! He gave me a bunch of ideas and I'm sure to incorporate many of them._

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**Chapter 2**

At first, Snape didn't quite know how to respond. Harry was eyeing him thoughtfully and for a moment, Snape considered if Harry was making a joke. The sense of apprehension he got from the boy implied otherwise though. Snape opened his mouth to speak, closed it for a second as if reconsidering, then opened his mouth again.

"Are you sure that you know what that entails?" he asked carefully.

"I know what it means," Harry huffed, "It means that you teach potions, don't you? At Hogwarts or another school for that matter."

"It does," Snape said, stroking his chin slightly, "Among other things, of course. A potions Master might also use their skill in other fields of the magical world such as healing and scientific research. But am I to understand that teaching is something you wish to pursue?"

"It's not like I haven't taught anyone before," Harry argued, "I've taught the D.A. and if I do say so myself, all of my '_students'_ did very well. Why do you think you have such an abundance in your NEWT class this year?"

"I didn't ask if this was something you would be able to do," Snape countered, "I am well aware of your success in teaching before. But is it something you enjoyed?"

Harry actually smiled at that question. "It was," he admitted, "Very much so, even. It was amazing to see everyone improve as they did. And to think that I had a hand in it."

"As a hired Professor, one would need to attempt to teach every child that sets foot into Hogwarts," Snape said, "Not only the ones who actually desire to learn your craft as was the case with the D.A. Is that something you can do?"

Harry frowned for a moment as he thought that over but he was quick to recover. "It is," he said, "I would much prefer that over being an Auror."

Snape's lips quirked upwards ever so slightly but he tried covering that up by sipping his tea.

"Very well," he said evenly, "But why potions? You've already established that you do quite well when teaching defence. You could always go in that direction."

Harry groaned. "I told you I've had enough of that particular field. Besides, there's something… calming about brewing potions."

"You're not saying this to try and please me, are you?" Snape asked suddenly, "Because you can be whatever you want. Quite literally, I imagine. Who would dare to turn down Harry Potter?"

"Oh, stop it," Harry snarled, throwing a biscuit in Snape's general direction, "As if I would accept any handouts. No, I like potions and I like teaching. I've thought about this for a while now and I think that this would be a good choice for me."

"You realize that you will need to catch up on your studies for that to work," Snape said importantly, "You're about to step into your last year and you haven't even begun on the development of your Magnum opus yet."

"What?" Harry asked, suddenly very worried, "Is a thing like that even expected from students? Isn't there some sort of higher education for that?"

"Don't worry, Harry," Snape said soothingly, "It's not as if anyone is expecting you to cure Lycanthropy or something like that."

Harry snorted. "I should hope not. If the great Severus Snape isn't able to do that, how am I supposed to?"

"In any case," Snape interrupted, "You are expected to create something new of your own. And not the – I apologize for saying this – rather clumsy attempt at an original potion you created two years ago. You will need to perfect it through trial and error and not stop when you think it's good enough. Good enough is not perfect and that's what you need."

"While that sounds exciting and all," Harry said, "I don't understand why that's necessary for a teaching job. Did Trelawney have to do something like that for divination?"

"I hardly think anyone ever blows up their teacup just by interpreting it incorrectly," Snape said, "In many of the courses you take at Hogwarts, it is quite enough to have a basic understanding of the subject. As a Potions Master, however, you need to be capable to counteract – in an instance's notice – whatever your students are able to mess up. You have no idea what kind of volatile concoctions can be created by students haphazardly throwing things in their cauldron. Seemingly at random!"

The frustration was evident in Snape's voice and Harry smiled in his hand. At one time, he had been one of those students.

"You need to be able to diffuse any situation and correct or heal any wrongdoings. Evading permanent damage to any student is advisable, even if their own lack of resolve and focus are the direct cause of their failure."

"It could always be Slytherins throwing things in other people's cauldrons," Harry offered.

"What a silly notion," Snape replied coldly, "That is a very unlikely event. But even so, that is one more thing you would need to be prepared for. Do you understand why it is so important to learn everything there is to know about potions? And knowledge is not enough either. You require a true understanding of the art and that requires focus and hard work."

Harry sighed wearily as he envisioned the amount of work that was already laid out for him. But even when aware of the arduous task in front of him, his resolve did not falter.

"I understand," he said, "And I am ready for it. I want to do this."

"If you are certain," Snape said agreeably, a true smile now on his face.

"I am," Harry said proudly.

"You will need a master to guide you over the years to come," Snape continued, "I presume that it would be satisfactory for myself to take on that role?"

Harry rolled his eyes at the unnecessary question. "Of course."

"You will also need to stay at Hogwarts for another year after this one," Snape said absentmindedly as he started scribbling away on a piece of parchment, "A specialisation year so to speak."

"Is that what you did?" Harry asked curiously.

Snape stopped writing for a moment and regarded Harry carefully. "It was not," he admitted, "But as you are well aware, I was struggling with more than simply my education at that point in my life."

Harry flushed slightly. "Right," he said.

"But for you, it will work out just fine," Snape said, kindly ignoring Harry's discomfort. "You need not worry about that just yet, though. You first need to pass your NEWT's. You will be expected to study independently for a great deal of your time. And you will be required to share your research with me in order for me to assist you to the best of my abilities."

"Does that mean you'll be looking over my shoulder the entire time?" Harry asked exasperatedly.

"In the literal sense of the word, no," Snape replied, "But essentially, yes."

"Wonderful," Harry said sardonically.

"If not, you can always study something else," Snape said evenly, "But if you wish to pursue the career of a Potions Master, this is what you need to do. What did you expect? That you could waltz into Professor Dumbledore's office at the end of your last year and ask him for a job? It's not that easy."

"It seems to be that easy for defence," Harry mumbled.

Snape shot him a devastating look, and Harry quickly realized that Snape had failed time and time again to land the defence job and had only been able to do so last year.

"Right," he said quickly, "Sorry."

"I assure you that it will _not_ be that easy," Snape said, "So if you wish to reconsider –"

"I don't," Harry said quickly, "I'll do it. Tell me what I should do."

"You will begin – as you have before – by preparing the theorem of what you seek to create. You are not permitted to start brewing until I have read and approved your construction."

"Right," Harry said, "When should I –"

"I imagine you can think of what it is you wish to pursue already," Snape said, "But while my library is by no means insignificant, it is of paramount importance that you use all the knowledge you can possibly acquire in the construction of your theorem. Therefore, I suggest that you wait until we are back at Hogwarts for you to actually begin your research."

"Will I still even need to take classes like transfiguration and charms?" Harry asked.

"Naturally, you do," Snape replied, "No knowledge is ever wasted and besides, you should always wish to keep as many doors open as possible. If you – for some reason – should have a change of heart at some point and wish to pursue the path of an Auror once more, I would be most aggrieved to see you deprived of that opportunity simply because you didn't feel the need to apply yourself in your final year."

"I could spend more time in private research of I dropped those classes, though," Harry said.

"You will do no such thing," Snape snarled, "It doesn't really matter when you finish your research. There is no time limit, though I do hope you would see fit to focus enough to finish in a timely fashion. I myself became a Potions Master at the age of twenty-one."

"That's hardly fair," Harry pointed out, "Everyone knows that about you. It was an achievement on its own, so I hear. So you can't possibly expect me to do the same."

"My point is that you will continue to do well in your other chosen courses," Snape said sternly, "Fail to do so, and there will be consequences."

"And this is why it's hard to have a parent at school," Harry mumbled.

"You understand that my being your assigned Master would give me the same right of chastisement," Snape pointed out, "Even more so than it would for a parent. I will seek discipline and diligence from you as I would from any other apprentice."

"Have you ever had an apprentice before?" Harry asked at the prompt.

"No," Snape admitted, "But I've taught plenty of students. I know precisely what I'm doing."

At that point, Hedwig flew into the dining room, dropping a letter onto Harry's plate. She perched on the back of her master's chair, waiting patiently for a few scraps of bacon.

"It would appear that your Hogwarts letter has arrived," Snape pointed out.

"The last one I'll ever get," Harry said mournfully, "Or would I still get one for this specialisation year you mentioned?"

"I imagine not," Snape replied, shaking his head, "For I can inform you of the requirements myself since I will be the one overseeing that year."

Harry turned his attention to the letter, opening it with a pang of regret as he glanced at his list of school supplies. His last list. He was officially an adult now and would soon need to venture into the adult world. Maybe this extra year would end up being a welcome surprise. He wasn't ready to leave Hogwarts just yet, after all. One more year was not enough. Not at all.

"That's odd," Harry frowned when he took a closer look at the list.

Snape made a questioning sound as he glanced at his copy of '_The Practical Potioneer'_ that had also just been delivered.

"There's a history book on my list," Harry said, '_Connections through the ages'_ by _Maya Bell_," Harry frowned in disgust. "They obviously made a mistake. I don't take history anymore."

Snape had an annoyed glint in his eyes, "There's been no mistake. The headmaster will explain everything at the start of the year."

Harry frowned but felt that he shouldn't press the matter further.

"Can I go get my things with Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked, "It'll be the last chance I'll get."

"That goes without saying," Snape said, "I too shall come to get the things you and I both require to get this apprenticeship started.

"I just hope you won't be too hard on me," Harry chuckled nervously, "I can just imagine getting the old Snape back just for this occasion."

"I will treat you fairly but I will also be strict," Snape replied, "I have no patience for dunderheads as you well know."

"I know, I know."

* * *

"What?!" Hermione squealed. Harry wasn't sure if she was elated or just plain upset. "You're taking a specialisation year? That's possible? Why hasn't anyone told me about this?"

"Calm yourself, Ms Granger," Snape chided, "You have not heard about this because it is a rare occurrence. Most students simply graduate and move on with their lives. Thankfully."

"But sir!" Hermione replied, her voice trembling with excitement, "If that's a possibility, I feel like everyone should get that opportunity."

Snape quirked an expressive eyebrow. "And what specialisation would you have in mind?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, "I've never thought about it. I didn't think it necessary before."

"Exactly," Snape pointed out, "If and when a student shows the need or desire to move forward in one particular subject, arrangements may be made for them. But a student such as yourself, who delights in learning everything rather than focus and apply herself to one field of study has no need for specialisation."

"but I could specialize in different courses!" Hermione said eagerly, "Perhaps I can take two per year for a few more years and then –"

"Ms Granger," Snape interrupted, "You clearly miss the point of what specialisation means. Has your third year taught you nothing? Even you cannot possibly hope to gain that much information in such a short time."

Hermione's shoulders drooped.

"I suggest you discuss this with your head of house," Snape finally said, "She might be able to guide you where you wish to go. But first, you should focus on your seventh year."

"Yes, professor," Hermione agreed.

Ron consoled his now official girlfriend by draping his arm around Hermione's shoulders and earned himself a coy smile in return. Harry felt a pang of jealousy at their intimacy and glanced over at Ginny automatically. When he met her gaze, he felt himself go beat red.

What was wrong with him? He shook his head to clear his mind of any intrusive thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

They were almost done with their shopping. Hermione had commented that their new history book was one that had only recently been published, which was odd enough in itself since Binns didn't seem to accept anything new that happened. He had always used the same old material, never finding the need to upgrade.

And yet, here they were.

"Why do you think we've all been signed up for History classes?" Harry asked, furrowing his brow, "Didn't we get tortured enough during our first five years? I thought we were done with that horrible class."

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said, frowning in confusion herself. "It's certainly odd that the school would make it mandatory again. Do you think it's been demanded by the Ministry for some reason?"

"After Umbridge, I doubt they would try that," Harry said, "On the other hand, I guess you never know for sure."

Ron sighed as they stopped in front of the Quidditch supply store

"I wish that I had a new broom  
The one with the bright yellow plume  
Have to use one from school  
Makes me look like a fool  
I just want my own broom that goes zoom."

"You have only one more year to go, though," Hermione said cleverly, "Wouldn't it be kind of a waste to get a broom just for that?"

"So I guess that we don't need to eat  
Or to wear shoes that protect our feet  
When I go up and fly  
Venture out in the sky  
More than anything, I feel complete"

"That's a tad melodramatic, don't you think?" Hermione argued, "You can't possibly be comparing flying with basic necessities."

"Either he does or he's influenced by the potion," Harry chuckled, "You know, to be extra poetic."

Ron glared angrily at Harry and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but closed it again.

"Go ahead, Ron," Harry urged, laughing, "What's on your mind?"

Ron whispered in a fierce tone,

"Professor Snape is a cunt,  
I'm overflowing with want  
To hex his hair blue  
His skin and robes too  
And up his arse conjure a shunt"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed loudly, "Language!"

"Is Ickle Ronniekins at it again?" Fred asked as he captured Ron's head in a one-armed embrace

"Who knew that one could be so poetically rude!" George added happily.

"Which reminds me Forge,"

"Do tell, Gred!"

"We ought to speak to this master of pranks."

They turned around and walked over to Snape who stood a few feet away, perusing the list he had written down before.

"Master!" Fred exclaimed loudly.

"We bow before your brilliance," George said solemnly as he bowed very deeply, his arm outstretched in a wholly exaggerated manner.

"Mr's Weasley," Snape said curtly, glaring all the while as if he hoped that they would move away just by encountering his fearsome gaze. Unfortunately for him, the twins were no longer his students and even when they were, they were never afraid of the Potions Master.

"We need the recipe to that brilliant potion you constructed," Fred said.

"We will pay you handsomely for it," George added with a wink.

Snape snorted in amusement. "You'll have to be more specific, I'm afraid," he said, "I have created many different potions over the course of my life and I'm sure I know not of which one you speak." But the twitching of his lips suggested otherwise.

"Come now, Professor," Fred said importantly, "You know very well what we're talking about."

"Poetic justice," George sighed happily, "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? We want to sell it at our shop."

"Can you imagine," Fred said dreamily, "To have an entire class of students who can only speak in Limericks?"

"That is not a particularly pleasant idea, Mr Weasley," Snape said icily, "So no, I don't think I will."

"Sleep on it, if you would," George said, "We'll gladly give you a percentage of the profit."

"Ten per cent will do," Fred said, "As well as bragging rights going to Professor Severus Snape."

"Perhaps in another lifetime," Snape replied before stepping forward and joining his son.

"Are you quite finished getting your school supplies?" Snape asked.

"We have everything," Harry replied, chuckling happily as he glanced at his redheaded friend. Hermione was rolling her eyes and blushing fiercely for some reason.

"And how are you today, Mr Weasley?" Snape asked, a sadistic smile on his lips.

Ron thought for a while before sighing and answering.

"I am honestly not very well  
I am constantly tired as hell  
To think of each word  
Is most unpreferred  
Could you please just cast me a spell?"

"Very impressive," Snape smirked, "You will soon be among the most eloquent of your age group. As for casting a spell, I'm afraid I cannot."

Ron looked disappointed and even glared at Snape but didn't speak again.

"There is no spell or antidote to counter the potion," Snape explained, "As I have told you before. Surely, you have learned by now to not go rummaging through people's private stashes, haven't you?"

Ron nodded solemnly.

"I'm sure it will wear off in a few days," Snape assured him, "And so will the colour of your hair."

Ron's face coloured a fierce red which mismatched his now green hair terribly.

"Harry, I have gotten you the things for your extracurricular brewing," Snape said, earning himself a subtle glare from Hermione which he chose to ignore.

"What kind of things?" Harry asked curiously.

"You will be needing more than two cauldrons," Snape explained, "So I picked up five more. I also got you a new pair of dragonhide gloves, a set of precisely accurate scales, stirrers of each kind of material and cutting tools. I also didn't neglect to set you up with at least the more basic of ingredients as well as some of the rarer ones that I'm sure you'll be able to use. And if not, I am certain that I can use them for myself."

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed, "That's really great. But you didn't have to do that."

"Don't be ridiculous," Snape huffed, "Of course I did." He handed the shrunken packages to Harry who put them away in his pockets.

"Now was there anywhere else you wanted to go?" Snape asked, "Or could we possibly go home now?"

Harry gave his friends a longing glance but was also eager to inspect the wares Snape had bought for him. Maybe, he could even get some ideas going about what he was going to make. He would see his friends soon enough. And Ginny – who had been tagging along somewhat abashedly – would also be there.

"We can go," he said.

"Would you want to join us for dinner?" Snape asked Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Ron frowned.

"Coming over is always a thrill  
But this time I don't think I will  
Don't trust your food  
And I'm not in the mood  
I'd sooner go dine in Brazil"

"What an odd thing to say," Snape teased. "Very well. As you wish. Shall we go, Harry?"

Harry hugged Hermione and Ginny – lingering just a tad too long in Ginny's embrace – and clapped Ron encouragingly on the shoulder.

"Hang in there, mate," he said in mock sadness, "This too shall pass."

As Harry glanced over his shoulder, he saw Hermione laughing at Ron's antics while Ginny looked away as if she had been caught staring.

"I've noticed you've taken quite an interest in young Ms Weasley," Snape mentioned out of the blue. Harry felt himself flush and quickly looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

"Don't you?" Snape jibed, "It's a shame because I've also noticed that she seems rather fond of you."

Harry shrugged, not really ready to share any intimate details of his love life just yet.

"I do hope that you're being careful. If not –"

"Nope!" Harry interrupted, forming a makeshift cross with his two index fingers and pointing them at Snape. "We are not having this discussion! And most certainly not in the middle of the street. Nope, nope, nope!"

Snape rolled his eyes but grinned good-naturedly.

"Come on," he said, "We're flooing back. And _then_ we can talk."

* * *

_Did you guys like it? I really screwed myself over, giving Ron that potion, didn't I? Haha.  
I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to update. I'm going to an amusement park, you see._

_Kindly take the time to write a review if you will. I'm always happy with the feedback.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 is finally up! I hope you all like it. Thanks for all your support so far._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Harry was the first out of the floo and made a valiant effort to run up to his room as soon as he did. His problems with floo travel caused him to stumble though, and he slammed into the side table with quite a bit of force. He hissed a few curses under his breath and sort of half-jumped, half-stumbled towards the door once more when Snape came through, elegant as always.

When he saw Harry's predicament, he just raised that typical eyebrow like the smug, sadistic person he sometimes was.

"You really need to work on your floo travel," he said flatly, his lips quirked into a sardonic smile. "I can't have you destroying the furniture or your kneecaps every time we need to be somewhere. Now, where do you think you're going?"

"Upstairs," Harry replied quickly. The pain had already subsided into a dull throb. That would definitely leave a bruise. But nothing would be quite as painful as what Snape had planned so Harry made another attempt at moving upstairs.

"I think not," Snape said, stopping Harry in his tracks. "Have you already forgotten? You and I need to talk about some things."

"I haven't forgotten," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"I imagine you haven't," Snape replied evenly, sitting down in his personal armchair. "I also imagine that this is why you're trying to run from me."

Harry groaned loudly, still not moving from the doorway. "I'm seventeen years old! I know everything I need to know, already."

"Is that so?" Snape replied, "Would you mind sharing with me what you think you know?"

"Absolutely not," Harry said, shaking his head roughly.

Snape sighed heavily. "Sit down, Harry," he said in an authoritative kind of voice. Harry groaned again but did what was asked. He sat down as far away from Snape as he could, right near the edge of the couch just in case he needed an escape. To say that he felt embarrassed was an understatement. Snape, on the other hand, seemed as calm and collected as ever, sitting there leaned back into his chair, his hands clasped and resting in his lap while his dark obsidian eyes regarded Harry carefully but with certainty.

"I realize that this might be difficult for you to talk about," Snape said as Harry looked away, "But I also feel that it might still be important. I very much doubt that those muggles talked to you about anything and it's unfortunate to admit that our school system is severely lacking in educating our children about sex."

Harry exhaled exasperatedly, fidgeting with the edge of his robe. He didn't respond but he did glance over at Snape once or twice. Snape seemed undeterred and kept going mercilessly.

"You are a young adult and there is no doubt in my mind that your thoughts are often occupied by images of certain young ladies, one of which might be Ms Weasley?"

Harry leaned on his fist as he eyed the door but he did nod once. He kept crossing and uncrossing his legs and didn't really seem to know what to do with his arms. Where did he put them when he tried to relax? Wherever he left them, they were in the way. His cheeks felt hot and he had to swallow thickly.

"There's really no reason for you to get so worked up," Snape said calmly, "Everyone goes through what you're going through. It's only natural."

Harry did his best to relax. Snape was right, of course. He wasn't the only one with lingering thoughts about the opposite sex. And honestly, he probably wouldn't feel so elated if he talked about it with Ron or maybe Neville. But talking this over with Snape? Had Arthur had this talk with Ron? Did Hermione discuss this with her mother? How did they feel about it? Merlin, this was uncomfortable.

But Snape hadn't been teasing him nor had he smirked or grinned or done anything that made it seem as if he was having a laugh. The only one making this uncomfortable, really, had been Harry.

"I'm sorry, Severus," he said, trying to relax a little. "You're right."

Snape nodded, not pressing the issue any further.

"May I ask if you are indeed in a relationship with Ms Weasley?" Snape asked.

"I'm not sure," Harry confessed, "We've kissed a few times but –" he glanced up at Snape before glancing down again, "But we haven't discussed it further. So I guess not."

"Have you had intercourse before?" Snape asked as casually as he would ask about the weather, which Harry could appreciate but it did nothing to stop the embarrassment from rearing its ugly head once more.

"No," he said in a very small voice. He wasn't even sure if Snape had heard him but when he glanced up, he saw the man nod. Harry felt frustrated with himself. Where was his Gryffindor courage, dang it? He took a deep breath and lifted his head to look into Snape's eyes, not averting them again this time. Snape seemed to smile ever so slightly.

"The muggles have, of course, invented several types of protection for when they decide to finally take that step and you no doubt know about those already," Snape said calmly, "But it will please you to know that we, as wizards, have a spell that functions as both a contraceptive and as protection against any STI's."

Harry swallowed thickly. He hadn't known that. And now, he was sort of eager for Snape to explain more.

"I know you are probably too apprehensive to ask this yourself, but I will teach you the incantation."

If the talk up until this point had been embarrassing, it was nothing compared to practising the incantation to a contraceptive spell with Snape. Ron would probably be laughing his socks off at the mention of this moment, incanting some vile limerick to commemorate the occasion, no doubt.

Luckily for both of them, the incantation was easy enough to learn and Harry got it right after a few times.

"Now, the existence of this spell does not give you the right or privilege to go around Hogwarts and mating with everyone willing," Snape went on.

Harry slapped a hand in his face and dragged it downward as he groaned aloud. But Snape ignored it entirely.

"Do keep in mind that women are not simply beings that look nice and feel good. They too have feelings you need to take into account. Do not take advantage of them for if I hear anything of the sort, you will have me to deal with."

This time, Harry looked at Snape with a hint of righteous fury dancing in his eyes.

"Why would you even think that I would do such a thing?" he said, his voice more fuelled by embarrassment than anger.

"I don't believe you would do so consciously," Snape admitted, "But the battlefield that is teenage romance is littered with landmines and booby traps. I simply urge you to be careful. Is that something you can promise me?"

"Yes," Harry croaked under his breath.

"One last thing then, if I may," Snape said.

Harry felt that Snape had already taken enough liberties... He felt the strong urge to say that no, he indeed may not. But Snape would go ahead anyway and punish Harry for his cheek as well. So instead he just meekly nodded.

"Try and make your first time a special occasion when it comes to that. I advise you to not run into it haphazardly. There is nothing wrong with waiting for a bit if you don't feel you are ready."

Harry waited for a few more seconds but when Snape didn't add anything else to the conversation, he grumpily asked: "May I be excused?"

"You may," Snape replied easily, waving his hand towards the door.

As soon as Harry was given permission he bolted from the couch and all but ran upstairs, nearly tripping on the stairs twice in his eagerness to get away from the mortifying experience he just underwent.

* * *

"Harry, we will need to get you registered," Snape said the next morning at breakfast.

"Registered?"

"As my apprentice," Snape clarified, "We need to send your registration to the guild. I will need to keep them posted on your progress and results."

Harry frowned. "So there are more people than you to look over my shoulder?"

"Surely, you understand that your work will need to be assessed and evaluated by some sort of structure. Apprenticeship is not really covered by the Hogwarts curriculum and there are no exams to determine your grade."

"I thought you would just decide if I was good enough or not."

"Of course not," Snape said, "I alone am not the foremost authority in what and what is not considered a viable Magnum Opus. I will be part of the council at the end of it, but I will not be alone in this."

"It is quite simple, really," Snape explained, "I already drafted the document while you were hiding in your room yesterday –"

Harry flushed as he recalled the embarrassing conversation he had been forced to take part in.

"- and now all it requires is our signatures."

Snape produced a long sheet of parchment onto which a wall of text had been produced in a neat scrawl that was unmistakable Snape's. The header of the parchment portrayed a large symbol that was comprised of a mortar, pestle and a phial out of wich three drops were spilling. At the bottom of the parchment sat two large spots, indicated by their names, waiting to be signed. Harry was indicated as 'Harry James Potter; Apprentice whereas Snape was indicated as 'The esteemed and highly decorated Potions Master; Severus Snape. It seemed like a lot of extra nonsense surrounding Snape's name but it did make it all seem more official. Harry glanced over the text, not really understanding a whole lot of it, except that Snape would have the rights to his creations and any papers he might produce but he was also charged with teaching Harry what he knew, furthering his career. He was also supposed to provide Harry with housing, clothing, food and the likes but since he had already adopted Harry, that part of the text seemed unnecessary.

"I simply copied the text that's agreed upon by the guild," Snape clarified, "It is important to be as correct as possible when dealing with a practice that is – for lack of a batter term – still somewhat archaic. Oh, and speaking of archaic –" Snape fished a small blade out of his pocket, "- this document will have to be signed in blood."

"Well that's crude," Harry commented, "We're not making a pact with a demon or anything, are we?"

"Of course not, Harry," Snape sighed, "This is simply the way of the guilds. If you want to be an official apprentice, this is what needs to be done. You need to be bound to me in blood until such a time you are proclaimed a Master."

"And that might take years," Harry said flatly.

"Indeed," Snape replied curtly.

Harry thought it over but didn't think too much of it. Had this been any other Master of the trade, Harry might have declined altogether. After all, binding yourself to someone with blood didn't seem too straightforward and might even imply something darker. But Harry trusted Snape completely.

"Alright then," Harry finally answered. Snape nodded and proceeded to make a cut in his left palm, allowing some blood to fall into an empty inkwell. Once he deemed it enough, he dipped a quill into the blood and signed his name in wide, big lettering, ending in an elegant flourish.

"Your turn," Snape said, providing Harry with his own empty inkwell and the blade.

Without hesitation, Harry made the cut in his own left palm and did as Snape had done. His signature came out a lot more untidy and short. There were no flourishes or elegant calligraphic letters but it would do.

For a split second, a quick glow overcame the parchment but it was gone as fast as it had appeared. With a flick of his wand, Snape healed both his and Harry's incisions. Then he rolled up the parchment, tying it neatly with a thin ribbon and summoned an owl to deliver it for him.

"Take this to Master Lovegood, for me," he told the owl after which it took flight and disappeared through the window.

Harry quirked a curious eyebrow but said nothing.

"There," Snape told Harry, "We are all set for the following years. I'll be looking forward to working with you."

Harry snorted at the stiff manner of speech. "I look forward to learning from the best. Not that I haven't been doing that already for the last couple of years, but oh well."

"Don't get cheeky with me, apprentice," Snape said, "Or I'll have you doing nothing scrubbing cauldrons for the duration of the first year, if only to get some discipline into you."

Harry bowed exaggeratedly and grinned, "As you say, Master."

Snape snorted but said nothing in response. Instead, he flicked his wand, vanishing the leftover blood and quills and banishing the dishes to the sink.

"I'm expecting visitors," Snape said, "And I believe that it would be advisable for you to stay, if only for you to get a grasp on the more Slytherin of traits that a Potions Master sometimes needs."

"Okay," Harry said carefully, "Who's coming?"

There was a mischievous glint in Snape's eye. "Oh, you'll see," he said, "But I ask of you to not interfere into the conversation and to keep your reactions to a minimum."

"I'll…try?" Harry replied, not sure what he was getting himself into.

"See to it that you do," Snape said. He picked up the Daily Prophet, cutting off the conversation effectively as he scanned the articles.

* * *

Harry was sitting at the dining room table with a nearly blank piece of parchment in front of him. Snape was sitting across from him, reading a book. Whoever those mystery visitors were, they had not shown up yet but judging by Snape's calm demeanour, they were not late.

Harry refocused his attention on the task before him and frowned. What kind of potion did he want to create? What could be beneficial to the wizarding world?

He stared at the ceiling as he mulled it over. He thought about his own life. What had he himself been struggling with the most? He's had his fair share of difficulties, that's for sure, but what had been the hardest? His face fell somewhat when he realized just what that was.

The death of loved ones. Especially that of those he had never known. Not that the death of Sirius – or even Cedric – hadn't been hard to bear. In fact, it had very nearly destroyed him. But it still didn't compare to that long-lasting ache of longing he had always felt for his parents. The painful yearning that reared its ugly head every time he was reminded of the horrible faith that had befallen his parents. The thoughts about what could have been were hard enough, but that feeling of being alone had nearly driven Harry to kill himself a long time ago.

And while he was not alone anymore, there were still times that he missed his parents. He missed Sirius. He missed having a true family.

Harry sighed as he tapped the piece of parchment with the back of his quill, biting his lower lip as he thought. He was slightly embarrassed with how dark his thoughts had gotten all of a sudden but on the other hand, he felt that he might be on to something. After all, he was not the only one who had lost loved ones. He was not the only one who would have unfinished business with the deceased. How many people longed for just a few more minutes with those who passed away? How many people regretted those last words that had fallen between them?

Harry scribbled the base of this thoughts down.

_Many people long for a connection to their dead loved ones. In some cases, this might help with their mental health._

Right. Now, what did he want to do about it? What did he want his potion to do? He brushed his lips with the feathery quill as he pondered. He was pulled sharply out of his reveries when the floo flared brightly and two people stepped out of the hearth, their red hair covered in ashes.

Both Fred and George Weasley shook their hair out, grinning sheepishly when their gazes fell on Snape and Harry.

"Hi, Harry! Hi, Severus!" they greeted in sync.

Snape frowned at the familiar address but didn't reprimand the boys.

"Mr's Weasley," he greeted curtly, "I received your owl this morning. It felt rather –" he smirked somewhat "-desperate."

"Desperate is right!" Fred exclaimed as he took a seat right next to Snape. George took the seat on the opposite of Fred.

"Severus, we have slept on it and our resolve has only grown," George explained.

"We need that potion," Fred argued, "Poetic Justice would fly off the shelves, we know it!"

"And it's not as if you have a whole lot of use for it," George said, "What do you even use it for besides occasionally punishing our baby brother? Don't get me wrong, it was hilarious! But we see greater things for your creation."

"Don't let it be forgotten and kept in the dark," Fred begged.

"How does twenty per cent sound?" Fred and George asked in unison.

Snape had listened to the twins in amusement, his lips twitching ever so slightly as if to hide a smile.

"I don't think you understand, gentlemen," Snape said, "I have no need for money. I am well off enough to live rather comfortably for the rest of my days."

"Aha!" Fred exclaimed, "No need for money you say –"

"- but perhaps you have need for something else?" George finished.

"There are many things a Potions Master such as me could want," Snape said evenly, "But most of those things can be bought or bargained for by myself. It's not something I could use two rambunctious Weasley twins for."

Fred and George looked at each other, a wide grin on both of their faces.

"You said 'most of those things'," Fred pointed out eagerly.

"That means that there are some things that you can't get your hands on," George said, nearly licking his lips in anticipation.

Snape folded his hands neatly in front of him and regarded the twins carefully.

"There is one thing," he admitted, "I suppose I could – oh, never mind. There is no way that two children such as yourself would be able to assist me in this manner."

"I hear someone underestimating us, Fred," George said loudly.

"It would appear so, George," Fred replied, shaking his head, "One would think that anyone who has dealt with us for so many years would know better."

"Try us, Severus," George said eagerly.

"Name your price and our reward," Fred followed up, nodding.

"Very well," Snape sighed heavily, "If you insist."

The twins glanced at each other with victory shining in their eyes before focusing their attention on Snape. Harry's presence seemed to have been all but forgotten.

"The thing I require is the ancient texts of Pythagoras," Snape said evenly, pausing for effect. The confused looks on the twins' faces indicated that they had no idea what Snape was talking about.

"It has come to my attention that these texts are currently hidden somewhere in the Library of Alexandria."

Snape smirked when he saw understanding in the eyes of both twins.

"Naturally, the library is not only defended by curses and traps that were placed there by the ancient Egyptians, but it is also guarded closely by a group of wizards called 'the Order of Anathema'. They've put several layers of protection in place that I doubt even Albus Dumbledore could breach."

He lifted his eyes to meet the twins' excited gazes.

"Do you now see how impossible this venture would be? Naturally, if you were able to get these texts, I would gladly give you the recipe for free, including the rights to them. But seeing how that will never happen –" Snape rose from his seat, standing to signify that it was time for the twins to leave, "- I can only thank you for coming and wish you luck in your further dealings."

"Now hold on right there, Severus," Fred said happily.

"We happen to have a brother that works in the Order of Anathema," George pointed out.

"Do you now?" Snape asked in surprise, "You must be speaking of William Weasley. I knew he was a curse-breaker but I didn't think he was stationed in Egypt."

"Ah, but he is," Fred said happily.

"Maybe we can surprise you yet!" George added.

"We shall pay our brother a little visit," Fred smirked, "Because we miss him so much, of course."

"And who knows," George shrugged, "If we should happen to encounter these texts of Pythagoras, why wouldn't we bring them back with us?"

Snape made a show of sighing in exasperation. "You're welcome to try but I don't think you can do it."

"How dareth thou doubt us," Fred said in a mock hurt tone of voice.

"We shall surely triumph in this epic quest thou hath bestowed upon us," George exclaimed.

"Fare thee well!" And with a flash of green fire, the twins disappeared from sight.

There were a few seconds of silence before Harry began a slow clap. Snape turned to him with a snarky grin on his face.

"I can't believe they fell for that," Harry said, "You played them the whole time, didn't you?"

"Did I?" Snape replied, "How could you accuse me of something so very…"

"Slytherin?" Harry pointed out.

"Indeed."

* * *

_And another chapter has been written. Can you believe it? Where oh where is this story headed? What did you think? Please don't hesitate to review._


	4. Chapter 4

_I had a hint of writer's block writing this chapter. But here it is! Thank you all for your reviews._

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"So Fred and George just went off to Egypt and haven't been back in weeks," Ron explained. "They hired some guy fresh out of school to man the store while they're gone but I don't think he was expecting them to be gone for quite so long."

Harry chuckled when he thought about just what the twins were getting up to.

Ron, Hermione and himself were sitting in the Hogwarts express that would once again take them to their beloved school for the last time. Well, at least for Ron and Hermione. Harry could have taken the floo but wanted to experience this ride one last time. Next year though, he probably would just travel with Snape instead.

Lucky for him, Ron was now limerick-free.

"They didn't even tell me what they were going to do," Ron continued, "They said that they were going to visit Bill but I don't think that would take so long. And why wouldn't they know when they would be able to get back from a regular visit? No, something fishy is going on."

"They probably just needed a vacation," Hermione offered, "They've been working so very hard, after all."

Ron huffed, "I doubt it. Their workplace is their playground. Every day is a holiday for those two. No, I think they're trying to invent another joke or prank of sorts which they're going to test on me as soon as they're back."

"So don't eat anything they give you," Harry suggested.

"He could never turn down food," Hermione said indignantly, "Not even if he suspected it was laced with something suspicious."

"It is bad practice to waste food," Ron said matter-of-factly. "And I'm at least eighty per cent sure that the twins won't try to kill me."

"But they might have you speaking in limericks for another month," Harry said.

Ron made a rude sound. "Like they would ever get the recipe from Snape," he said, "Nah, It'll probably be something less subtle like… I don't know… Having someone speak in a high pitched voice or something."

"I don't know, Ron, they might end up surprising you," Harry teased.

"What?" Ron exclaimed, "Harry, you know something, don't you?"

"Don't be silly," Harry replied easily, "How would I know more than you? It's not like they randomly stop by or anything."

Harry winked at Hermione who giggled into her hand.

"Have any of you seen Draco, by the way?" Harry asked, "I'm a bit surprised that he didn't join us."

"I think that coming back to school might be a bit hard for him," Hermione replied softly, "We've been owling over the holidays and he doesn't like leaving his mother alone for so long. Not after… you know."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "It must be tough coming back here. This is where his dad got killed and everything."

"I guess he's grateful that there's only one year left of school," Harry said, "I wonder what he's planning on doing after."

"Artefact creation," Hermione said easily, "That's what he's told me anyway. He's gotten really interested in it."

"It beats Death Eater," Ron shrugged.

"Ron!" Hermione chided, "What an awful thing to say."

"I was just kidding, Hermione," Ron said, frowning somewhat. "You really don't need to protect the Malfoy heir against all the evils in the world."

"I'm not!" Hermione argued, "I just think he needs a friend, right now."

"Fine," Ron said sort if grumpily, "But don't forget that I need you too."

Hermione rolled up the magazine she was reading and lightly tapped Ron on the head with it. "Don't be jealous, Ronald," she chided, "You know you're much more important to me."

Ron grinned. "You'd best remember that! Oh Harry, did you want a chocolate frog?"

Harry accepted and unwrapped his chocolate treat as Hermione went back to reading '_The Practical Potioneer_'. Harry frowned when he recognised the cover.

"Since when do _you_ read Potions magazines?" he asked.

Hermione huffed somewhat in annoyance. "Well, I'll have you know I've looked into staying at Hogwarts for a specialisation year as well. And to do that, I've been reading up on the different Masters and what is required to become one."

"Severus is always reading that magazine as well," Harry pointed out.

"Well, of course, he is," Hermione said exasperatedly, "It's the foremost magazine on everything regarding potions after all. If you want to stay on top of things, you need to be reading it every time another edition comes out. Didn't you know that?"

Harry flushed a little. "No, I didn't," he admitted, "Do you think I could read it once you're done with it?"

Hermione passed him the magazine with a sigh, "Go ahead. I've already read it twice," she said, "And there's a form in the back that you can fill out if you want a subscription. I suggest that you do so since you've already chosen to specialise in potions."

"I will!" Harry said gratefully, "Thanks, Hermione."

"You're very welcome," Hermione replied sweetly as she withdrew another magazine from her bag called '_A plan for Plants'_.

Ron rolled his eyes and got up from his seat. "You guys have fun," he said flatly, "I'll just go look for Draco or Neville or something."

Both Hermione and Harry grunted noncommittally, already engrossed in their reading.

* * *

When Harry, Ron and Hermione walked over to their usual spots in the middle of the Gryffindor table, they noticed Draco sitting on the Slytherin side. When they saw each other, Draco raised his hand in greeting but stayed in his seat. Harry didn't know if he was staying because he still needed some time to himself or not but either way, he was sure that during the night of the sorting at least, students were not allowed to mingle among other houses. Especially when those students were prefects. So Harry just smiled in return and took his seat.

He glanced over at the high table and noticed that Snape was regarding him carefully. Almost as he had done during the feast, his very first year. But there was no malice in his eyes this time. Harry smiled at him which seemed to satisfy Snape since he turned away and started talking to McGonagall.

Harry had not anticipated for a new teacher to make their way into Hogwarts this year since Slughorn was still teaching potions, and Snape had managed to hold on to the defence position, but there she was.

She was a woman in her early thirties with long, dark chocolate hair and amber eyes that seemed to shine with glee as she took in the great hall. She was clearly not very tall and seemed somewhat shy as she was listening politely to other teachers' conversations but didn't jump in herself. Harry thought she looked sort of lonely as she sat there.

And who was she anyway? All the other teachers seemed to still be present so Harry could not imagine what the woman was doing there.

As always, McGonagall stood at the ready with the sorting hat to divide the new group of first years into the four houses. Harry clapped along dutifully for every child that joined Gryffindor but ignored the jeers and scathing remarks some of the Gryffindors would make when a child was sorted into Slytherin.

When the sorting was over, Dumbledore rose from his seat and spread his arms to signify that he was about to make an announcement. It didn't take long for the majority of the children to quiet down and for the rest of them to be elbowed by their peers until they too shut their mouth. Once everyone had settled down, Dumbledore smiled happily, his eyes twinkling and addressed the students.

"It is nice to see so many new faces grace this hall with their presence, this year," he began, "And it pleases me, even more, to announce that one of those new faces will be your new History of Magic teacher."

Surprised murmurs rose from the more seasoned students of Hogwarts. Dumbledore allowed it to go on for a few minutes before resolutely raising a hand, motioning for everyone to calm down once more.

"It has come to my attention that Professor Binns no longer wished to teach. He would rather spend the rest of his death in peace and quiet. We thank him for the many years of service and wish him the very best. In his stead, we welcome the very talented and engaging Professor Maya Bell."

The new woman gave a small wave, smiling shyly before dropping her hand and looking back at Dumbledore.

"That's the author of '_Connections through the ages'_," Hermione hissed.

"I am well aware that most of you who had the opportunity dropped the subject of History of Magic altogether," Dumbledore continued, "Which has resulted in there not being a single student in the NEWT class. Now I am aware that this is perhaps the result of something other than simply the subject matter."

Harry noticed Snape shake his head lightly in dismay.

"Which is why I want to offer you all a chance to get reacquainted with History of Magic. I only ask of you that you see it through for a couple of weeks. If you decide – after these weeks – that you would still wish to drop the subject, I will not blame you and allow you to do so without a problem. But it would make me most happy if you would generously use your time to give Professor Bell a chance. I know for sure that she might surprise you."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled fiercely in the light of the enchanted candle.

"Now I do believe that I've kept you long enough," Dumbledore concluded, "Please enjoy your meal."

After this confusing turn of events, platters appeared on every edge of every table, filled with the most delicious food of any kind. Harry grabbed the first pitcher of pumpkin juice that was in reach and smelled it carefully before pouring himself a glass. He took a small sip and slushed it around in his mouth cautiously before deciding that if it was indeed poisoned, it was undetectable. He looked over his shoulder to see Draco give him a sheepish grin and held up his glass in salute before drinking resolutely.

He then looked at Snape who raised his eyebrow at him and Harry gave him the thumbs up after which Snape rolled his eyes.

"So what do you make of this new teacher?" Hermione asked.

"She's cute," Ron said pointedly as he stared at the high table.

"Ron!" Hermione chided, smacking him on the head.

"It sucks that we need to take History again," Harry groaned, "I won't have enough time for everything as it is."

"You can just drop it again after a few weeks," Hermione pointed out, "And besides, it might turn out to be interesting."

"Yeah, it's about time they found a replacement for old Binns," Ron said, "I can't believe they didn't do so sooner."

"It did seem a bit overdue," Hermione agreed.

Harry looked back at the high table to see Professor Bell try and strike up a conversation with Snape but the Potions Master gave her a curt reply and turned away to chat to McGonagall. Bell seemed to take it in stride though. She just shrugged and turned towards Flitwick who sat on her other side and happily engaged in conversation with her.

'_Play Nice'_ Harry wrote on the cuff Snape had given him for his birthday the previous year. Snape looked at his wrist and simply shot Harry an exasperated look before continuing his conversation with the transfiguration professor.

"Did Snape tell you about her beforehand?" Ron asked curiously.

"Nope," Harry replied, "Kept me completely in the dark."

"Oh well, he doesn't strike me as the talkative type even at the best of times," Ron said.

"He probably wasn't allowed to say anything," Hermione argued.

"Why in the world would that even matter?" Ron asked, "This could hardly be considered a state secret."

"Well, whatever the case, I think it's nice that we get another shot at History this year," Hermione said resolutely, "And who knows. If she's a good teacher, I might even consider a speciality year in the subject."

"If McGonagall allows you to," Harry pointed out.

"Oh, why wouldn't she?" Hermione said, "No professor would ever deter a student from learning more, would they?"

Hermione dug into her food and Ron shared a knowing look with Harry. McGonagall better agree to something or Hermione was going to be hell to be around for the entirety of the year.

* * *

After a day of classes that were hardly interesting, Harry found himself in the library with Hermione at his side. They had been in there for an hour already, finishing up the homework they had already been assigned before moving on to more personal topics.

For Hermione that meant building a case for herself that would hopefully convince McGonagall to allow her to stay an extra year.

For Harry, this meant building up his theorem. The sheer amount of books in the library were sure to help him. And lucky for him, Snape had trusted him enough to grant him unlimited access to the forbidden section. That was a good thing too because there was information there that he would desperately need.

The current subject matter of interest was Dementors.

'_Related to the Lethifolds, Dementors are that much more vile. They cannot be killed but they do have a natural life-span that runs out eventually. No one knows how long that is since no dementor can be distinguished from the rest.'_

Harry skimmed the pages as he tried to find what he was looking for.

'_They feed off of people's terror and darkness, removing all feelings of happiness as they draw closer to make it easier for them to prey on their victims. When their prey is sufficiently made devoid of happiness and hope, the soul becomes more vulnerable to outside influences. Eventually, it can be taken by a dementor, resulting in what is known as the Dementor's kiss. There is no recovery possible from such an attack._'

"What are you reading about?" Hermione asked, shaking Harry's focus.

"Dementors," Harry replied, showing Hermione the passage he was reading.

"interesting," Hermione said, "A bit dark, but interesting."

"It's remarkable that they attack the soul," Harry told her, "They are able to suck out, and therefore move a soul, something that is normally not only invisible but also untouchable which is probably why most muggles are sceptical about its existence."

Hermione nodded contemplatively, "True," she agreed, "Since they consume thoughts and emotions, I can only assume that the soul is classified in the same category as those."

"I don't think that's entirely right," Harry said, "I think the soul _is_ the category."

"Ah, that would make a lot of sense!" Hermione said, "But what does that mean?"

"Do you remember that spell my mother created?" Harry asked, "The one that can convey emotion?"

"Of course I do," Hermione huffed indignantly, "We used it to help Draco out, after all."

"What if I can use it to sort of imitate the dementors? You know, to draw a soul closer."

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said carefully, "That sounds kind of dark. And I think it's an innate ability of theirs, not one you can emulate. And why would you want to do something like that anyway?"

"It's not like that," Harry replied, "I don't plan on sucking out anyone's soul or anything. What I want to do is attract them, pull them closer so to speak. I can't explain why just yet. It's for the potion I'm trying to create, you see?"

"Well, as long as you're careful," Hermione said, frowning at her friend, "Professor Snape is supervising you, right?"

"He is," Harry assured her, "I am not even allowed to start brewing until he approves of my theorem." He sighed heavily, "I've already worked on it a bit over the summer but it's coming along very slowly."

"Well it's not as if you have a deadline," Hermione pointed out, "Take it slow and be thorough. Especially when meddling with things like dementors."

"Don't worry, I will be," Harry assured her.

* * *

Hogwarts was overtaken by a horrible heatwave. It had gotten so bad that the students were allowed to forego their school robes and were wearing nothing but their normal clothes. Even most of the teachers refused to don their teaching robes. Only Snape seemed to ignore the suffocating heat, proudly stalking through the hallways as his robes billowed behind him.

It helped, of course, that he spent a large portion of his day in the dungeons. Even the defence classroom was in the vicinity of the cooler part of the castle.

The many owls that lived in the school were sluggish and annoyed, preening their feathers more than normal and delivering the mail with long delays. Hedwig, however, seemed to be worse off than any of the other owls. One morning, she came swooping in at breakfast. She was on her way back from delivering Harry's subscription for '_The Practical Potioneer'_, the first edition already tied to her talons, when she all but crashed into his bowl of cereal.

"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed loudly, jumping up from his seat. Hedwig screeched softly as she flapped her wings weakly.

"Take her to Hagrid," Hermione said in a panicked tone, "He'll know what to do."

Harry didn't need to be told that a second time. He scooped up the weakened owl in his arms and raced to the high table where none of the teachers seemed to have noticed anything being amiss.

Hagrid – who was sweating profusely under the mass of hair that he called a beard – looked up as Harry came to a stop in front of the high table and showed him the weakened owl.

"Hagrid," he said helplessly, "Something's wrong with Hedwig."

"Oh dear," Hagrid said as he took Hedwig from Harry, "It'll be alright, my beauty, don't you worry."

Hagrid emptied a bowl of potatoes onto his plate and filled it with cool water. He dunked Hedwig's feet in the bowl but kept her body out of it, offering her a separate saucer to drink from.

"What's wrong with her, Hagrid?" Snape asked apprehensively, unhappy about Harry's expression.

"She's overheated," Hagrid explained, "Snowy owls are not used to temperatures such as these."

"What can I do?" Harry asked worriedly.

"You'd best take 'er somewhere cold, while it's this hot out," Hagrid replied, "Take 'er to the dungeons if you can. I'm sure she'll perk right up after a few hours."

Harry looked at Snape with a sort of pleading look in his eyes. "Would that be alright, sir?" he asked.

"Of course," Snape agreed easily, "I wouldn't dare put your owl's health at risk." He thought it over for a second, "I would advise you to put her in the students' potions lab. Not a lot of people actually use it, and it's cold in there. I would put her in my chambers but there's always a fire burning down there so I doubt that would be an adequate solution."

Harry turned to Professor Slughorn at that. "Would that be alright with you, professor?" he asked.

"Of course, Harry!" Slughorn replied amicably, "Anything for one of my top students. Just make sure you provide her with a perch so she won't sit on any of the cauldrons."

"Thanks, Professor," Harry said and raced down to the dungeons with a slightly more lively Hedwig on his arm, the magazine still attached to her foot.

As promised, he provided her with a makeshift perch immediately, setting her up with food and water and taking her burden away from her.

"I'm sorry, girl," Harry said as he stroked Hedwig's soft feathers, "I should have realized the weather was too hot for you. But don't worry, I won't have you flying out for a while."

Hedwig hooted softly in return, ruffling her feathers somewhat in dismay.

"It's for your own good, you know," Harry said, "But I'll keep you company as often as I can, okay?"

Hedwig clicked her beak and tilted her head slightly as if she was thinking it over. Then she flapped her wings, causing a loose feather to fall to the ground.

"Hmmm, that won't do," Harry said, "It would be bad for random owl feathers to be added to people's potions. But don't worry!"

Harry took out his wand and twirled it a few times as he walked around Hedwig, murmuring the incantation '_castus'_ under his breath.

"There," Harry proclaimed proudly, "If I did it right, you shouldn't be dropping any feathers or dirt or anything into anyone's cauldrons. I wouldn't want you to get kicked out."

Hedwig didn't respond this time. She just stared at Harry accusingly.

"I promise that you won't get bored," Harry tried to dispel Hedwig's foul mood. "Who knows, you could even help me out when I brew some potions."

Hedwig clicked her beak and turned away from Harry to start pruning her feathers.

Harry sighed. "Get some rest, girl," he told her, "And don't bite anyone."

* * *

_Another chapter concluded if you can believe it. I wonder what you're all thinking? Care to review and tell me? Thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"So Hedwig, as we already knew, you can only see thestrals once you've seen death and accepted it."

Hedwig hooted knowingly in response.

"Exactly!" Harry said as he turned the page of his book. Hedwig sat on her perch, tilting her head as her master continued reading.

"It says right here that they serve as some sort of bridge between the world of the living and the dead. They are generally accepted as an ill omen but they're really kind creatures – Luna would agree with that, I'm sure – that merely seek to heal the ones left behind. Mentally, that is."

Harry sighed, "The bridge between our worlds…"

Hedwig flapped her wings twice and clicked her beak sharply, causing Harry to look up;

"Oh, right!" He grabbed hold of the sprigs of lavender he had already prepared and threw them in his simmering cauldron. "Just in time. Thanks, Hedwig." Harry stirred his concoction a few times, checking to make sure that it changed into the correct colour and sat back down into his chair.

"So perhaps a few strands of thestral hair could do the trick," Harry mused. He scribbled a few notes on a piece of parchment that was already littered with askew sentences, carelessly deposited onto the paper as if written down in haste. "But should I use the hair of their tails or the hair of their manes? Hmmm…"

Hedwig sagged somewhat on her perch, visibly relaxing as her master continued studying.

"Marigold flowers would work well in contrast," Harry mused out loud, "But I could also use Acacia leaves."

Hedwig ruffled her feathers in obvious dismay.

"What?" Harry chuckled, looking up, "You don't like Acacia leaves?"

Hedwig screeched shortly in response.

"Marigold flowers it is," Harry said, writing down his chosen ingredient. Hedwig hooted softly, tucking her head under her wing.

"Oh, shoot!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, "I'm going to be late for History of Magic!"

He hastily put a stasis spell on the cauldron, swept his notes into one big, messy pile and grabbed his bag and books as he held his quill between his teeth.

"Ber Herdwerg," Harry tried saying but he got no response from the owl. In a hasty flurry, he bolted out of the dungeon and raced towards his next class, spotting the person in his path just a tad too late.

And who better to crash into than Draco Malfoy? With a thud, Harry landed hard on his backside, his books scattered everywhere, pieces of parchment still fluttering in the air as they slowly descended. Harry's quill had dropped to the ground and rolled away somewhere.

"Seriously, Potter, can't you watch where you're going?" Draco chided in annoyance, "A guy can't even walk through the dungeons anymore without being knocked on his arse."

"Sorry," Harry mumbled sheepishly as he got off the floor. He rubbed his backside tenderly before extending a hand to the Malfoy heir who took it gracefully. Harry pulled him upright before he went to pick up his things in a hurry.

"Sorry, Draco," Harry apologized, "I'm going to be late for History."

"You're actually going?" Draco asked incredulously, "You Gryffindors really are too goody-two-shoes. You dropped the class! There's really no reason to go back there. It's boring as hell anyway."

"So I take it you didn't go?" Harry asked as he took one of the books Draco offered him.

"Not a chance," Draco replied easily, "I've got better things to do than listen to the tedious details of orc and goblin wars. I would think you do too."

Harry shrugged. "I don't see the harm," he admitted, "If I don't like it, I can always drop it again, just like Dumbledore said. I just feel kind of bad for Professor Bell you know?"

"Oh, I get it now!" Draco exclaimed happily, "You've got the hots for her."

"Wha- no!" Harry replied hastily, "She's like thirty"

Harry started walking at a hurried pace. If he was fast, he could still make it. Draco followed along, not letting up.

"True as that may be," he said, "You have to admit that she's easily the hottest teacher we've ever got."

"Hermione would argue that that honour would befall Lockhart," Harry chuckled.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of the female teachers, you dunce," he said, slapping Harry lightly on the head.

"Please," Harry scoffed, "I prefer girls my own age."

"Oh? Like who?" Draco urged.

"Well, this is my stop!" Harry deflected easily, hurrying into the designated classroom. He glanced over his shoulder to see Draco give him an exasperated look but simply sent him a defiant smirk before he went to sit beside Ron and Hermione. Draco left, smiling triumphantly for some reason.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked.

"Just Draco telling me how hot he thinks Professor Bell is," Harry divulged.

Hermione huffed. "Boys," she growled but made no further comment. Harry's eyes locked with Ron's for a moment before they boy chuckled. It was barely a few seconds later that professor Bell flew into the class, looking a bit flustered with several strands of hair out of place.

She smiled warmly at the full class of teenagers that was already waiting for her.

"Hi guys!" she greeted, "I'm sorry I'm late. It's just so hard to find my way around here."

With a loud thud, she allowed her books to fall on her desk. "Oops, sorry!" she winced at the loud noise. "Say, did you know that the staircases move on their own in here? How does anybody get anywhere on time?" The look of amazement in her eyes reminded Harry of many a first grader and made him realize that Bell did not go to school here.

"Oh, but I really should get started, shouldn't I?" she said somewhat apologetically. She took out her wand and faced her class, still smiling brightly. "Please open your books to page twenty-three. Today, we will be learning about wizards and witches who have been worshipped by muggles throughout the ages, raising them to a God-like status."

"That's a long title," Ron whispered. Harry chuckled and Hermione shot him a disparaging glance. Bell didn't seem to notice though.

"There's no need to keep your eyes glued to your textbooks, children," Bell said, "All of my classes have been doing that but I will make sure that you see the world around you instead."

She swished her wand in some complicated, elegant patterns when the air itself started to vibrate, taking on colours and foreign outlines. Sounds started to fill the room and Harry clutched his desk hard out of fear that he would fall to the ground as soon as the room stopped writhing and moving. He noticed several others do the same.

"Don't worry," Bell said in a soothing voice, "Relax and take in the scene around you. The year is 975 AD. We find ourselves in a town called 'Hofstadir where the winds are cold but the pastures are green."

Harry gasped in amazement as he laid eyes upon the large valleys and hillsides as people hustled and bustled to get on with their lives. Most people wore thick, woollen clothes. Pigs, sheep and goats seemed to be walking around in utter chaos but this went unnoticed by the passers-by.

"Among the villagers in this town, walks one that is more devious and clever than any of his peers. Here he comes now!"

A man walked among the villagers with his head held high, his posture proud as he saluted those he passed. The ones that noticed him bowed down deeply, their noses touching the ground as the man swept past, his long cloak billowing after him as his long, black hair swept in the mind. A mischievous smile adorned his handsome face and his long fingers held a lute that he played as he walked.

"His name is Loki," Bell explained, "Some of you have probably heard about him before. He is known as one of the most accomplished Masters in transmutation that have ever walked this green earth. Back then, there was no ministry to keep the wizards in check, so there was no one to stop a wizard from flaunting his skill. Such a wizard often became revered."

Loki bowed down to a beautiful young lady with long blond hair, tied into a braid and held out an elegant hand. He spoke in a language that Harry did not understand but the young lady giggled girlishly and took the hand. With one gesture, Loki transformed her old rags into rich clothes. He picked up a few rocks from the ground and transformed them into jewellery which he graciously handed over to the woman.

Bell shook her head, smiling thinly. "A very accomplished master indeed but also a trickster," Bell continued. "He broke many a woman's heart as he travelled, and deceived many people just to get what he wanted."

"Sounds like he would have done well in Slytherin," Ron snorted."

"Quite right, Mr Weasley," Bell agreed, "He would have. If not for his cunning, then surely for his ambition. But let's move on shall we?"

Professor Bell swished her wand to the left and the room spun until it stopped on an entirely new scene.

"Since we're on the subject of incorrigible tricksters, we shall move further into the past. We are in Greece and the era is 500 BC. Here we encounter a wizard that loved muggles more than anything and was always doing his best to make their lives better, much to the dismay of his fellow wizards and witches, of course. You can imagine just how important 'pure blood' was at that time."

The children watched a tall man wearing a ridiculous outfit mingle among what seemed like commoners. Whenever someone tried to bow before him – which many obviously felt compelled to do – he quickly stopped them and held them upright.

"This is Hermes. I called him a trickster," Bell explained, "But he is one with a good heart. He would mostly trick his own kind to the benefit of the muggles whom he sought to protect. Pay close attention to the items he carries."

Harry squinted and tried to discern the many silly-looking things this Hermes carried with him. He wore a large satchel which depicted a rooster. He also wore a round hat and a travellers cloak. With him, he carried a winged staff which was entwined by two snakes but what was most noticeable were the ridiculous winged sandals he wore.

"Could he actually fly with those?" some disbelieving Hufflepuff asked.

"He most certainly could," Bell said, "He charmed them much in the way one would charm a broomstick. The wings are completely unnecessary, yes, but they surely filled the hearts of his beloved muggles with awe. The most tricky part was to actually maintain his balance in those shoes as he flew. Can you imagine?"

As if ordered to do so, Hermes leapt into the sky and took off, the useless wings on his sandals flapping for nothing but show as he wielded his staff at nothing in particular.

"He used his staff for healing and - according to some accounts – for alchemy as well. It is clear how much the muggles loved him and he was rewarded for his efforts by being considered a God."

Bell flicked her wand once more and the scenery changed to that of a desert zone. Large pyramids permeated the area and everyone recognised it unmistakably as Egypt.

"We have time for one more," Bell said happily, "I clearly don't need to tell you where we are. It is about 2400 BC. This tour of our history would obviously not be complete without including the ancient Egyptians, now would it?"

Some of the students agreed wholeheartedly, Hermione being one of them. She had been taking in all of the new information with wide-open eyes and a gleeful smile on her face.

In a flash, the scene zoomed in on the base of one of the pyramids where a female lion lay basking in the sun.

"Meet Sekhmet," Bell said dreamily, "She was known as the Goddess of War and Healing but truthfully she was just a witch albeit a very powerful one at that."

The class watched as the lioness rose from her spot and transformed into a gorgeous woman with long, black hair. Her face was painted with black streaks and she wore garish jewellery coloured in gold and blue.

"As you can all see, she was an animagus which only served to enthral the muggles even more."

Some of the girls sighed dreamily as they watched the beautiful woman walk towards her subjects. In the background, slaves were hard at work, sweating and labouring away in the dry desert, their slavers always behind them.

"It was a different time," Bell said sadly, "And Sekhmet was royalty. She never saw any problem in using slaves and even used them herself. We can only hope that she treated them with kindness."

The scenery changed again but was still focused on Sekhmet who stood at the front lines of what appeared to be an army.

"She was ferocious," Bell continued, "And she was one of the very best at duelling. She was always at the front lines of any battle and helped her people through many wars."

The students watched, their hands clinging to their seats in excitement as Sekhmet charged into battle, casting spells left and right while not even using a wand or anything of the sort.

"Even when the enemy had their own wizard or witch –" Bell continued, focusing the scene on another magic user that now came to stand in front of Sekhmet "- She still won every battle. But even so –" The scenery changed again. They were now seeing the aftermath of the battle. Many people were injured and dying. Sekhmet could be seen kneeling down next to a bleeding man. "- She still cared for the lives of the people. She was skilled in battle but also in healing charms. Unfortunately for her, she had plenty of opportunities to practice both."

Bell raised her wand into the air and in one fell swoop, the scenery seemed to get sucked up into its tip. The entire class groaned but Bell smiled fondly.

"Don't worry, class," she said, "If you would like to, you can take my class for the rest of the year. I understand that history can be a bit boring but if you apply yourself you can learn some interesting stuff."

The class murmured incoherently in agreement, excitement clear in the air.

"Now," Bell said, clapping her hands together, "I do believe it's time for lunch. This is a bit embarrassing but could any of you show me the way to the great hall? I'm afraid I'll just get lost again and miss lunch entirely."

"We'll take you, Professor!" Hermione shouted excitedly, practically jumping up and down.

Bell chuckled. "Thank you very much, Ms Granger. I'll take you up on that."

She picked up her bag and waited for the golden trio to get out of the classroom after which she locked it magically.

"I don't think anyone will be stealing anything from inside there, Professor," Ron said.

"Most definitely not, no," Bell replied, "But the magic in this room has been strengthened to aid me in my… way of teaching, so to speak. I wouldn't want anyone wandering in there unsupervised."

"That was amazing, Professor!" Hermione said happily before Ron could retort, "Who knew that History of Magic could be so amazing?!"

Bell laughed, "Thank you, Ms Granger," she said, "That's quite the compliment. Especially after learning about the horrible reputation my subject has in this school. Everyone seemed to dread coming to my class."

"Well, we were taught by a ghost," Ron said evenly, "And he was so boring, everyone always fell asleep."

"So I've heard," Bell said shaking her head, "It's such a shame, really. If I had been taught by such a Professor, I'm sure I never would've taken a liking to the subject myself."

"Where did you go to school, Professor?" Harry asked daringly.

"Ilvermorny," Bells admitted.

"That's so far away!" Hermione exclaimed, "You don't sound American at all."

"That's because I'm not," Bell chuckled, "But my father had us moved there for work so I had to attend Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts. It's a shame, really. I had always wanted to come to Hogwarts."

"Well, at least now you get to experience it," Harry offered, "And you don't even have to sit through Binn's classes for it."

Bell laughed. "I don't think I should be allowing you to speak about my predecessor that way, but I'll permit it just this once." She winked at the threesome as the stairway they were just on changed direction. Bell let out a little yelp and clutched the balustrade tightly.

"Why does it do that?" she asked in amusement.

"We honestly don't know," Harry replied.

"Some would say that Hogwarts is a bit fickle," Hermione supplied, "She likes to toy with new people."

"Oh, come on Hogwarts, be nice," Bell chided, "I'm not going to spray paint your walls or anything like that."

"It's okay, Professor," Hermione said, "We're still going in the right direction."

"This castle is huge," Bell said in awe, "Do you think we're –"

"And what is the golden trio doing, wandering around the corridors?" drawled a familiar voice, "Lunch will be starting soon."

"Hi, Professor," Harry greeted Snape, completely undeterred by his sour attitude, "We were just on our way there but the staircase moved on us."

Snape frowned. "I didn't expect you to be needing a chaperone at this age. Afraid to get cornered by a fantastical beast of sorts?"

Harry frowned at Snape's odd behaviour. He opened his mouth to say something when Bell interjected.

"Actually, Professor Snape, they're the ones escorting me," she said, biting her lip in embarrassment. "I haven't gotten the hang of navigating this place yet. It's very daunting and I was worried that I wouldn't make it to the great hall in time."

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow, "I understand," he replied curtly and swivelled on his heel to depart but Harry stopped him.

"You could help her out, Professor," Harry said sweetly, "You know, show your fellow colleague the area. Show her the secret passages and everything."

Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry. "Don't presume to tell me what to do, Mr Potter or I will be forced to punish you accordingly."

Harry was ready to fight Snape on this but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. It was Bell's. She smiled sweetly at Snape and said: "That's okay, really. I'll be fine. You go on ahead and we'll make it there on time as well."

Snape nodded curtly and walked away, his robes ever-billowing.

"What's his problem?" Harry muttered, "He's acting as if someone stole all of his dragon blood."

Bell chuckled softly, "Now, Harry, you shouldn't say stuff like that."

"And why do you call him 'Professor Snape'?" Harry asked, "All of the other teachers call him Severus. And he's about your age."

"Well," Bell said in a hushed voice, "He kind of scares me. But don't tell him I said that! He'll probably be very mad that I said anything of the sorts to a student. As a matter of fact, could you just forget the last five minutes happened? That would be great."

"If you say so, Professor," Ron shrugged.

"But he's really not as bad as he seems," Harry said.

"Though he does take some getting used to," Hermione supplied, "But once you've moved past his walls, you'll see that he has a heart of gold."

Ron snorted, "Hermione! Did you forget that awful potion he fed me?"

"Well, you were rummaging through his potions lab," Hermione said smartly, "What did you expect?"

"You all dared me to do it!" Ron huffed, "And a Gryffindor does not back away from a dare."

Bell chuckled merrily, "Is that what Gryffindors stand for then? I'll be sure to remember that."

"What house were you sorted into, Professor?" Hermione asked, "I know that Ilvermorny has four houses as well."

"I love that you know that!" Bell said happily, "Well, I was sorted into Thunderbird."

"I guess I can see that," Hermione nodded knowingly. Harry and Ron just shared a confused look.

"Here we are!" Harry said as he gestured towards the open doors to the great hall.

"You three are my heroes!" Bell exclaimed happily as she led the way inside. She waved one last time at the trio as they took their seat. "See you next time!" she shouted before half-walking, half-running to the high table to sit in the last available spot next to Filch to whom she amicably started chatting away.

"What are _you_ looking at?" Ginny chided as she saw Harry staring after Bell.

"Just wondering how someone so airheaded managed a teaching position here," Harry said, shaking his head.

"I like the way she teaches, though," Ginny said, "She's much better than Binns ever was."

"Much better looking too – Ow! Hermione!"

Ron was rubbing the sore spot on his head where Hermione had hit her with her book.

"What was that for?"

"For being a pig," Hermione snarled before digging into her food.

Ron rolled his eyes and stuffed two rolls in his mouth. Meanwhile, Harry smiled wryly at Ginny who winked at him with a smirk.

* * *

"Why are you being such a git?" Harry asked as he carefully measured his sheep's milk.

"Excuse me?" Snape snarled. Harry finished measuring, the tip of this tongue between his teeth and waited to respond until he had put the beaker back down.

"To Professor Bell, I mean," Harry said, "You're acting as if she were some first-year Gryffindor or something."

"I believe that my interactions with other members of the staff are of no concern to you," Snape said dangerously, "Now, focus."

"Don't be like that," Harry groaned, "No one is around to hear us anyway. I don't get why you're being so defensive. Hold on, it says here to use a sprig of rosemary but wouldn't the potion do better with azaleas? I'm sure it would react better to the acid of the snake venom."

"Interesting argument," Snape conceded, "Go ahead and try it but be sure to wear gloves as you do so. Also, I am not being defensive. I simply do not like her. There are a lot of people I don't like and I don't want to be forced to interact with them."

"No one is forcing you," Harry said as he rummaged through the stash of ingredients, looking for azaleas.

"Then what would you call that attempt to have me show her around the castle?" Snape huffed, "Social interactions are bad enough without them being forced on me."

"A little bit of common courtesy could go a long way," Harry said as he retrieved his prize. "And who knows, you might end up liking her."

"She is far too child-like and energetic for my taste," Snape snarled, his nose scrunched up in disgust, "I've heard about her lessons. Ridiculous."

"Brilliant!" Harry countered, "I don't think anyone will want to drop History of magic now. If she teaches like that all the time, we will all be history buffs in no time."

"I would rather you focused on potions," Snape said, watching with interest how Harry carefully tossed in the azalea leaves.

"I am!" Harry said, "And hey. You're the one who told me to keep up with my other classes as well. Don't get all upset with me that I find them interesting."

Snape didn't respond. He watched intently as the potion in Harry's cauldron bubbled gently. Hedwig flew over and landed on Harry's shoulder, hooting softly.

"What do you think?" Harry asked.

"Shh," Snape hushed him, "Give it some time."

They both watched the concoction intently. When it stopped bubbling, Harry hauled it off the fire and bottled the brew.

"Hmm," Snape pondered, "I suggest that we test the potion as soon as we can. Don't forget to write down your findings and your work. If this potion turns out to be more potent, it might interest a lot of people."

"I only changed one thing." Harry argued, "It won't change the world."

"We can only change one thing at a time, Harry," Snape said, "The important thing is for you to keep trying.

* * *

_I hope you all enjoyed that. What do you all make of Professor Bell?  
Please grace me with your reviews! They help keep me happy and motivated._


	6. Chapter 6

_I want to thank you lovely people for the reviews. I'm especially happy that Maya is so well received since she will play an important part later on. Please enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

A loud, cackling laugh pierced the night air as Greyback ripped a poor unsuspecting muggle apart under the eerie light of the full moon. Bellatrix sat slouched comfortably against a large oak tree, twirling her wand expertly while she giggled, her amusement triggered by the helpless howls of Greyback's victims.

Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange sat with her, quietly taking in the dark scene as it played out. They were not disturbed so to speak but they didn't share in the crazed delight Bellatrix seemed to drown her senses in whenever she saw blood.

"I honestly don't understand what you see in her," Rabastan whispered to his brother, "She's mental."

"Be quiet," Rodolphus said softly, throwing Rabastan a disparaging look. "She might kill you just for saying that, you know?"

"My point exactly," Rabastan muttered through gritted teeth. He kicked the corpse of the half-eaten muggle that lay before him as he waited for the feral werewolf to finish his meal.

"I just don't understand why we have to stay with them," Rabastan said.

"You know very well why," Rodolphus hissed, "I don't know if it has escaped your attention but for the last year, our kind has been hunted down and thrown into Azkaban. Or worse, murdered in cold blood. I prefer my chances as they are in a larger group instead of by myself, thank you very much."

"Rookwood seems to be doing fine all alone," Rabastan sighed.

"Well I'm sorry to say but you are simply not as clever or cunning as Rookwood," Rodolphus replied, "You are welcome to take your chances by yourself, brother but I am staying with my wife and her pet wolf if it's all the same to you."

"What are you two blathering about?" Bellatrix' shrill voice cut through the sultry summer air.

"We were just wondering about Rookwood's whereabouts, my dear," Rodolphus replied, "No one has seen him in a while."

"I doubt that anyone will see him again," Bellatrix pouted, "He's always been a cowardly little rat. Very much like Pettigrew, you know. He likes to hide and bide his time while his stronger allies do all the dirty work."

"Of course, Bella," Rodolphus said trying not to unnerve his wife.

Bellatrix huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "What? Don't you like being around me anymore?"

Rodolphus put on his winning smile and closed the distance between him and his wife in one long stride. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, his lips meeting hers in what appeared to be a wild, passionate kiss. But while her eyes were closed, Rodolphus shot a warning look at his brother before refocusing his attention on taming the beast.

"I would never want to leave your side, my love," he added for good measure. "We're simply worried about our current status."

Bellatrix wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and grinned widely as she tapped Rodolphus' nose lightly. "I'm sorry, my pet," she whispered, "It's all because of that traitor, Snape that we're in this mess."

"You are quite right, my darling," Rodolphus agreed easily, glad that the focus wasn't on him or his brother for a change. He tried desperately to ignore the sounds of ripping flesh and someone gurgling as they tried to breathe through their blood-filled throat. "If it wasn't for Snape, we would all still be in the presence of our esteemed and wonderful Lord."

As expected, Bellatrix fell despairingly into his arms, wailing loudly as she was reminded of their tragic loss.

"There will never again be one as great as he was," Bellatrix sniffed, clinging onto Rodolphus' robes as she sobbed. "He understood. He always understood."

"I know Bella," Rodolphus said lovingly. Or at least, he tried to sound loving. Greyback howled somewhere in the distance and Rodolphus' eyes darted to his brother who was looking around in fear, probably wondering if he would be Greyback's next victim.

"I will murder them," Bellatrix suddenly said viciously.

"What did you say, my love?"

"I will murder them all!" Bellatrix screeched, "And I will start with Snape and that Potter brat. They took my lord away. My reason for being alive! I shall take their lives as compensation and they will suffer greatly before I do!"

Rodolphus had to do his very best not to roll his eyes at the deranged woman. She had been spouting nonsense about revenge every other night. But the truth was that as long as they were hunted by the ministry, they could hardly move about casually. Planning any sort of attack on people who were under the protection of Hogwarts and – by extension – Dumbledore would be nothing short of foolish. Even Bellatrix would be able to understand that.

* * *

Harry carefully watched the bubbling of the potion in his cauldron, adding the ingredients at exactly the right intervals. He was stirring the concoction as he wandlessly commanded his stirrer to circle in intricate patterns, holding his book open with the hand that was not busy casting spells.

He barely heard Slughorn's lecture or corrections as he hovered near other students' cauldrons. Instead, Harry focused carefully on the hiccoughing solution he was brewing. A silly potion for being relatively difficult to brew, for sure. Especially when one considered the fact that hiccoughing was harmless most of the time and would pass on its own. But it was good practice.

In fact, Harry thought that if he tweaked the potion a bit, it might become useful to combat heartburn.

"Perfect as always, Harry," Slughorn commented as he glanced into Harry's cauldron.

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied politely, careful not to look away from what he was doing. It was not as if he didn't value Slughorn's opinion but he valued Snape's more. And he knew that brewing at this level was far beneath him at this point. And Harry suspected that Slughorn knew it too. The old Potions master hovered for a few seconds more while Harry revisited his heartburn idea in his mind. Something seemed to be bothering the man but Harry paid it no attention at this point.

Harry put a stasis on his cauldron before hurrying off to the pantry. It was so odd to think that rummaging through the various potion ingredients felt like second nature by now. A couple of years ago, he would not have recognized that black lotus that was carefully tucked away in a corner, nor would he have known what its uses were. Harry smiled to himself as he considered how far he'd come and kept looking for the ingredients he needed.

It wasn't long until he had his hands on some root of the ginger plant but it took him a while longer to find the liquorice. He emerged victoriously and noticed that Slughorn was looking at him. Harry thought it would be best if he actually made his intentions known and approached the older man.

"Excuse me, sir," Harry said politely.

"What can I do for you, Harry?" Slughorn asked kindly, "Those ingredients do not belong in the hiccoughing solution."

"I'm aware of that, Professor," Harry said, "But I was wondering if you would allow me to alter the potion a bit to make it more… well… useful."

"That is not really the assignment, Harry," Slughorn said doubtfully, "My request of you was a hiccoughing solution."

"I understand sir," Harry said, "So how about I divide the potion I've brewed so far into two cauldrons and pick up from there?"

"Do you believe yourself proficient enough to work on multiple draughts at once?" Slughorn asked, furrowing his brow.

Harry actually snorted at that. "I assure you that's not a problem, sir," Harry replied respectfully, "I've done it many times before."

Slughorn considered Harry for a moment before his expression softened. He almost seemed disappointed about something.

"Very well," he conceded, "As long as you provide me with a vial of the hiccoughing solution at the end of class, you may proceed as you suggested. But do not expect me to go easy on your grade simply because you took on an extra difficulty."

"I wouldn't dream of it, sir," Harry said happily before hurriedly getting back to his cauldron.

With a flick of his wand, he summoned a spare cauldron, belonging to the school and set it on the fire. He carefully divided the solution in half and summoned a second stirrer that he put to work as well. If his calculations were correct, the making of the potion could stay the same for the most part but a few of the ingredients needed to be substituted.

In the cauldron that was meant to become the hiccoughing solution, Harry carefully added two spoonfuls of anise oil. At the same time, he added the liquorice to his new creation. It smelled sweet and its consistency became a lot thicker. Perhaps not entirely as envisioned.

With the anise oil completely absorbed, Harry added the cups of pineapple juice accordingly, moving the stirrer in an up- and downward motion such as to absorb the juice without allowing for too much air to be pushed out. It would still need to bubble, after all. Harry sighed. He could make this potion with his eyes closed. He turned down the fire somewhat to let the hiccoughing solution simmer and turned his attention back to the second cauldron. He finely cut up the ginger root and added it bit by bit to the solution, watching carefully as the tough roots were swallowed by the thicker liquid.

It would need to boil for a while longer to soften the tough root, but that would result in more liquid escaping and a thicker solution. So either it could be used as some sort of syrup or he would need to add more water along the way. But that water would not have absorbed any of the ingredients yet so that might be problematic. Perhaps he could –

Oh, he had almost forgotten to add the final ingredient to the hiccoughing solution. He grabbed the previously chopped up dill plant and scattered it into the potion, giving it two more stirs before hauling it off the fire and leaving it to cool. It looked positively perfect and should earn him an O easily.

However… Harry now stared at the second potion with a hint of defeat but also curiosity. This wouldn't work. He bottled a sample anyway to check out later. Maybe Snape had an idea of what went wrong.

"Stay after class if you will, Harry," Slughorn said and when Harry snapped his head up to look at his professor, he found him to be looking at him kindly.

"Of course, Professor," Harry agreed, cleaning his working station before deciding that his hiccoughing solution had cooled down enough to bottle as well.

Both Hermione and Draco shot Harry a curious glance when class was over but went on ahead without him. It was not as if Slughorn was known as some sort of terrifying teacher. In fact, he had been nothing but friendly in the past so there was no reason for concern.

When the last student had left the room, Harry placed his potion on Slughorn's desk and waited.

"Ah yes, thank you, Harry," Slughorn said, giving the potion only a momentary glance. His eyes then searched Harry's nervously, almost as if he was some infatuated schoolboy.

"Harry," he said gravely, "It has come to my attention that you have been apprenticed to Severus."

"That is correct," Harry admitted carefully.

Slughorn sighed exasperatedly as he stood behind his chair, leaning heavily on the slim piece of furniture.

After a moment's consideration, he asked: "May I ask why you haven't asked _me_ to be your master? I _am_ the current Potions Master of Hogwarts, after all. Not to mention that I'm the one who taught Severus most of what he knows. I have far more experience and I daresay that I am most likely the more capable brewer."

Harry was taken aback for a moment. Slughorn was jealous?

"It is clear to me that you are a very talented young man indeed," Slughorn continued when Harry didn't answer. "At least as talented as your mother was if not even more so. I would have very much liked to tutor you as well. Have you not even considered me?"

"Professor," Harry stammered uncomfortably, "I'm not sure if you've heard but I have been living with Professor Snape for the last couple of years. Not only that, but he officially adopted me last Christmas. Even if you were the better potioneer –" _Which you're not_, thought Harry, "- It was still far easier for me to be aligned to someone who already had a connection with me. You see Professor, he knows me better than anyone at this point and he knows how to motivate and teach me."

"So it was more about your personal connection than about skill?" Slughorn questioned.

"That would be accurate," Harry said dryly.

"I suppose I can understand that," Slughorn agreed, "Especially after having so tragically lost both of your parents."

Harry simply nodded. He knew what Slughorn was trying to do. He wanted to start building some sort of rapport between the two of them but Harry really didn't feel like opening up to Slughorn. Not that he was a bad man, per se, but Harry didn't like how the man seemed to _collect_ people.

"Very well, Harry," Slughorn said after a moment's respite, "Thank you for your explanation. Just remember that if you ever need potion advice and Severus is not around, that I can always help you out. Now run along."

"Yes, thank you, Professor," Harry replied before hastily leaving, hoping that he hadn't missed too much of lunch yet.

* * *

The tables in the great hall were still stacked with food and drink and not a single student had left yet. Harry supposed that he had more time than he originally thought. He went to sit with his friends and glanced at the high table, meeting Snape's gaze. The man raised his eyebrows as if asking Harry where he had been but Harry simply shrugged.

The man might officially be his father now, but there was no reason for Harry to go and tell him everything that was going on as soon as it happened. He would explain Slughorn's jealousy to him the next time they shared a pot of tea or something.

"What did he want?" Draco asked as he slid in the seat next to Harry. None of the Gryffindors even seemed to care anymore that the Slytherin prince joined their table every now and then. It had become a normal occurrence and Draco wasn't pestered about it by either side anymore.

"He wanted to know why I chose Snape over him," Harry said easily.

Draco snorted. "Ah, the never-ending battle for The-Boy-Who-Continues-To-Live."

"Honestly," Harry growled, "You would think that with Voldemort gone, people would pay less attention to me."

"Less?" Ron exclaimed, his mouth filled to the brim. "You killing off the greatest threat to the wizarding world in decades has only increased the wonder surrounding the golden boy, you know?"

"Chew with your mouth closed, Ronald," Hermione chastised. "Did Slughorn understand in the end, Harry?"

"I think he did," Harry shrugged.

Before anyone could say anything else, Peeves flew into the great hall, much to the dismay of most of the teachers and students present. Instead of charging forward, like he normally would, he floated near the entrance, looking over his shoulder as if he were waiting for someone.

A few seconds later, a frayed and out of breath Professor Bell appeared, smiling sheepishly when she saw everyone's gaze fall on her.

"Milady," Peeves said jovially as he bowed exaggeratedly, stretching his arm across the hall.

"Thank you, Peeves," Bell said gratefully, "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Peeves cackled loud before disappearing through a wall.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered, "Did she tame Peeves?"

"Looks like it," Draco replied in utter amazement. "In the end, it was beauty that tamed the beast."

"Stop drooling," Harry chided, "Before she hears you. And isn't it beauty that _killed_ the beast?"

Bell walked alongside the Gryffindor table to go and sit in her usual seat but stopped briefly next to Hermione to whisper: "I got lost again," before she hurried along.

Hermione chuckled loudly as the slightly flushed Professor Bell took her seat next to Snape who only gave her a sideways glance before stiffly buttering his toast. Bell tried to offer him the jam but Snape ignored her completely. Eventually, she put the jam down next to the butter and focused on a bowl of fruit salad herself.

"Looks like Snape found a new victim to assert his dominance over," Ron said flatly.

"Maybe he's just not used to pretty ladies sitting next to him?" Draco offered.

"Oh, stop it already!" Hermione huffed, "If you like her so much, why did you skip her class?"

"You really shouldn't have," Ron added, "It was brilliant."

"So I've heard," Draco admitted, "I'll go to the next one."

When Harry looked at the high table again, he saw Bell having an animated conversation with Dumbledore while Snape sat in between them, looking awfully disgruntled. Harry couldn't help but laugh. He really did like this woman and most others seemed to as well. But it was so like Snape to dislike someone just for being happy and perky.

* * *

That evening, Harry found himself in the students' lab once again examining the sludge he had created. Hedwig was eating the owl treats Harry had brought for her as he tested the thick liquid to see if it was poisonous.

"What are you doing?" Came Snape's deep voice.

Harry jumped somewhat, slightly startled at the sudden presence of his adopted father.

"Don't do that," he scolded, "prowling around like the dungeon bat you are."

Snape raised that typical sardonic eyebrow and smirked maliciously. "Five points from Gryffindor for your disrespect."

Harry made a distracted noise as he went back to examining his failure.

"I will ask again," Snape said impatiently, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find out if I made something that works or if I just made expensive mud."

Snape snorted, "Expensive mud is the main export product of Potions Apprentices. It's too bad nobody will buy it."

"I thought I was on to something," Harry said, ignoring Snape's attempt at a joke, "But my instincts might have been off."

"Harry," Snape sighed, "What are we practising here?"

Harry looked up in confusion, twirling his sludge vial back and forth.

"I may call this subject an art when I try to get through to students but in reality, it is a science. Everything needs to be carefully measured and calculated if you want something to work. Surely, you know that?"

"Of course I do," Harry said grumpily, "It was a spur of the moment thing."

"It's fine if you want to try some things," Snape replied, "But it would be better if you thought these things through before you put them to the test. You can get lucky every now and then but if you do something very wrong, you might blow up."

"I know what ingredients not to mix, you know," Harry argued, "I might accidentally make the potion inert but I doubt I would blow anything up." He was getting a bit annoyed with Snape's interference.

"Don't presume that you know everything," Snape said sternly, "Not even I know the full effects of every single ingredient out there, let alone their effects on each other. You are most likely aware of the basics behind most of the ingredients found on the premises but I highly doubt you've explored every single possible combination."

Harry huffed in annoyance. "Not yet, no but I can't get there without doing research!"

"Mind your tone," Snape said gruffly, "And you're right. You have to do research but that doesn't mean randomly throwing some ingredients together and hoping that they magically bland into what you've envisioned. Did you even calculate the proper amounts before acting on your _instincts_?"

"No, sir," Harry admitted. "But I was sure I got it. It seemed like such an easy substitution."

Snape's gaze softened. "It's not atypical of apprentices to believe they know the ins and outs of the craft," he said gently, "But it would do well for you to know your limits before you proceed. If not for your own safety, than for that of others."

Harry nodded and thrust his vial in Snape's direction. "So this is –"

"Expensive mud," Snape replied easily. "Why don't you work out what you were trying to do and attempt it again tomorrow? Don't give up now. I bet you're on to something here."

"Okay," Harry said, putting down his notes for now. "Will you help me?"

"If you deem it necessary," Snape replied, "Though I would first advise you to try by yourself."

Harry nodded, dropping his head on his arms as he looked at Hedwig who was cleaning her feathers.

"Slughorn is jealous of you," he said.

Snape didn't look the least bit surprised. "_Professor_ Slughorn, Harry," he corrected, "And let me guess. He wished that you had chosen _him_ as a master instead of me."

"Yup," Harry said, "Ten points to Slytherin."

Snape ruffled Harry's tangled hair as the young man chuckled wearily. "Stop that!" he said, batting Snape's hand away.

"Scared I'll chase away the birds?" Snape asked amusedly but continued on in a more serious tone of voice. "Did you get the feeling that Professor Slughorn might treat you unfairly because of this?"

"Nah," Harry said, "He's not like that. It felt more like he's going to try to get in my good graces."

"He's not a bad ally to have, you know," Snape said thoughtfully, "In the end, he too is an accomplished master."

"I guess it's hard to imagine him as such," Harry admitted, "When you're used to your Potions Master gliding through the castle like some sort of deranged dementor, the charismatic feel of an average ageing man is severely reduced."

Snape sneered dangerously. "Be careful before this deranged dementor has you gutting toads for the rest of the evening."

"You can't," Harry smiled contently.

"And do tell me why that is, you brat," Snape snarled.

"Because I already cut ginger root today," Harry said cleverly, "It wouldn't react well with the frog's kidney's, sir."

Snape smiled broadly. "Exactly right, apprentice."

* * *

_Chapter six is finished already. This is going well. Please share your thoughts with me through the power of the review! 'Imperio!'_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello, dearies. I need to warn you that while from this chapter I'm heading in the direction of Ginny/Harry, I don't like the pairing and this is not how it's going to go. Also, since romance really isn't my prime writing style, this following chapter will probably have the most romance in the entirety of this fic. It's simply to make Harry's seventeen-year-old brain seem more realistic. I'm sorry for those put off by it, but again, this is simply not how it's going to go. Trust me a bit on this!_

**Chapter 7**

Snape sneered maliciously as he sat alone in the staff meeting room. He resolutely despised these gatherings and was absolutely certain that he could spend his time far better than sitting there listening to some old fool proclaim Gryffindor greatness. And yet, Snape found himself with no choice in the matter. However less than ideal this situation might be, Snape was still employed to Albus Dumbledore and would, therefore, need to do at least as much as attend regular staff meetings, however much he loathed it. At least he had managed to avoid the onerous burden of 'Secret Santa' every year.

Snape's mind snapped back to attention when Dumbledore moved on from his usual pleasantries and the ridiculous offering of lemon drops. It was only Hogwarts' latest addition that took one of the offered sweets. From the way Dumbledore's eyes sparkled, one would think he had just been gifted a particularly rare novelty. One that would do well on his desk alongside his other thingamabobs.

"As the first point on the agenda I would like to inform you all of the very first apprenticeship we have had on school grounds in over a decade," Dumbledore said happily.

Snape glanced around the room to see Slughorn, Poppy and McGonagall eyed him knowingly while the rest of the staff stared curiously at Dumbledore. "It has become apparent that Harry Potter displays quite the proficiency in potions. He has therefore been assigned as an apprentice to our very own Severus Snape."

Taking in the reactions of the staff was rather amusing. Snape noted that Slughorn seemed beyond envious but this he had already gathered from Harry's explanation. McGonagall seemed rather pleased for some reason. Well, as Harry's head of house she was rather close to him. She must be very aware of the current relationship between what once were antagonists. Perhaps even more so than Dumbledore.

Speaking of which, he was gauging the reactions of his employees as much as Snape was but the furious sparkle in those baby blue eyes did not diminish. In fact, they seemed to shine with a brightness that was rare even in Dumbledore.

Hagrid was predictable as always. The good-natured oaf wasted no time in congratulating Snape by patting him harshly on the back, practically knocking the wind out of him. Snape did his best to keep up the appearance that he was unbothered by the half-giant's manhandling and graciously accepted his congratulatory slurs.

Poppy simply beamed at him. She had definitely seen Snape at his worst, mentally speaking. Snape flushed when he recalled a few moments where he had nearly broken down over Harry's shattered body. It was a good thing that he could count on her discretion or his reputation would be permanently destroyed.

Most of the others simply murmured congratulations, some more heartfelt than others. It was clear that some of his colleagues still deemed Snape unworthy of caring for Harry. But then again, they hadn't exactly announced their newfound rapport to the world so that was only to be expected.

Maya Bell, the far too gleeful History professor with no sense of direction whatsoever was, of course, not aware of the history Snape and Harry shared. That is unless someone told her about all of the intricate details of the staff's relationships be it among each other or with students.

Snape narrowed his eyes as he watched the brunette approach him, her eyes darting around the room as if to gauge everyone else's reaction first. He could see the exact moment she decided on her own tactic when her eyes stopped seeking validation and simply steadied to calmly meet his gaze.

She smiled at him warmly and Snape had to keep himself from rolling his eyes at her. What was she even trying to achieve here?

"Congratulations, Severus!" she said heartily, "I know I can expect great things from both of you in the future. And who knows –" She actually had the audacity to wink at him. "- you might even wind up in the history books."

"Aren't we, already?" Snape drawled, sardonic eyebrow firmly in place.

"Well of course you are!" Bell replied easily, "But I meant as academics. Inventors perhaps. I know you are already well established as a potioneer but I can't wait to see you elevate Harry to the same heights!"

Snape wondered if Bell was always this energetic and whether she consumed a regular dosage of pepper-up potion for it.

"Thank you," he replied sullenly, not in the least interested to continue this conversation. He had hoped that his cold demeanour would cause the woman to flee but she did not. Instead, she glanced around the room, clearly noticing that Snape had chosen to sit somewhere secluded and took the empty seat next to him as he exhaled loudly in response. Bell either didn't notice or didn't care.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," Slughorn then said. Snape kept his gaze steady. _Oh, here it comes._

"I think it rather unwise to have a talent such as the one Harry possesses be under the sole attention of Professor Snape. Not that I in any way disregard his talent for the craft nor his diligence in brewing his creations but we have to keep in mind that this is his first apprentice."

"I appreciate your concern, Horace," Dumbledore said kindly, "As I'm sure Severus does as well –" Snape didn't even attempt to look appreciative at Slughorn's meddling, "- but as I'm sure you're well aware, the contract has been signed."

"Yes, I gathered as much," Slughorn continued, "And I would never even dream of taking Severus' place in the boy's life. Absolutely not. But perhaps Severus too could use a mentor of sorts."

Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"To make sure that he follows protocol and leads Harry in the right direction, I would suggest that I am allowed to oversee their interactions, and when I deem it necessary, intervene. If all is well, they will, of course, not encounter any sort of intrusion on my part."

Dumbledore seemed to think this over, much to Snape's chagrin.

"Will all due respect, headmaster," Snape spoke up, "I am quite sure that I have a handle on things. There is no need for a third party to be present."

"Actually Severus, I do believe there is some merit to Horace's idea," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure Harry would be delighted with the extra set of helping hands to guide him forward. You will, of course, remain his mentor and he, your apprentice, make no mistake of that. But perhaps it would be wise to allow for a substitute so to speak. For when you are indisposed or unable to discuss something with Harry for whatever reason. How does that sound to you?"

It sounded very much like Dumbledore didn't leave Snape any choice in the matter. But alright. If Slughorn wanted to play this game, Snape would happily deal him his hand. And who knows, the old yet admittedly competent master might come in handy sooner or later.

"That will be agreeable," Snape said evenly, once more ignoring the murmurs from his colleagues.

When everyone settled down, Dumbledore smiled brightly and moved on.

"As for the second point on our agenda, I would like to inform you all that the History lessons have been a grand success."

This time everyone clapped without scruples. Snape simply nodded curtly in Bell's direction. It was the smallest sign of respect he at least felt he needed to allow her. She smiled brightly at everyone involved.

"I realize that it is rather unorthodox for students to take on a class they have previously dropped, especially for those who are in their seventh year, but I feel that we must allow it this once," Dumbledore added. "The knowledge they attain this way will not be wasted whether the students pass their NEWT's or not. And if they enjoy it, I see no harm in allowing their interests to develop further."

Snape noticed everyone nodding in agreement as Bell sat there with a self-satisfied smile on her face. She looked as if Christmas had just come early. Of course, she would bask in the glory of her victory already. She hadn't even achieved anything yet. They would see, by the end of the year if she would remain victorious.

"As for the third point on our agenda, we need to urgently discuss the upcoming courtship of the house-elves. I expect every Professor to be sympathetic to a decrease in their services for a short period of time. As such, I would like to emphasize…

* * *

Ginny was softly stroking Hedwig's feathers while Harry was pouring over the experimental potion he had messed up yesterday. As he was making the necessary calculations he started seriously regretting that he had taken divination instead of Arithmancy but he powered through nonetheless.

When Ginny had asked him if she could accompany him to the dungeons - empowered to do so by the obvious ruse that she was interested in his apprenticeship and how things were working out – Harry had happily agreed. But while her presence was quite nice, it was a hindrance to Harry's work. In fact, he was forced to scratch out his calculations for the third time already when he realized he messed up again.

The fact that their relationship status was yet to be determined did not help quell the musings in Harry's mind that overshadowed his academic interests. Ginny was talking softly to Hedwig as the snowy owl tilted her head in understanding. Since he was the man in all this, wasn't he supposed to take the first steps? Not exactly a modern idea but the wizarding world was rather archaic and Ginny was a pureblood. Harry sighed and dropped his quill. He was getting nowhere with this.

"Ginny," he called out to the redhead. She turned to face him and smiled brightly, causing a weird churning feeling in Harry's stomach.

"Yes?" she asked softly, halting her movement of stroking Hedwig's chest. Her eyes darted over to Harry's mess of notes and he quickly buried them under his crossed arms.

"I –er…" What was he going to say again? He had no plan whatsoever and was feeling more nervous than he had been taking his OWL's. Wasn't that silly? He was seventeen years old which made him of age. He had bested some of the most powerful wizards of his time and numerous other dangers that had been flung his way. In fact, he had saved Ginny's life at some point during his never-ending ordeals so where was his courage now? Had he used the last of it when he was fighting Malfoy?

Oh no, she was staring at him, her brown eyes shimmering with curiosity and dare he name it hope?

Mentally slapping himself, Harry steeled his resolve and stood from his seat, stepping close to Ginny. Her eyes never left his but the closer he got, the more flushed her face became. It was nothing short of adorable.

"We should probably talk about what's been going on between us," Harry said, not sure how he had managed to speak that entire sentence without allowing his voice to tremble. He was glad for it. It would make him appear strong and confident.

Ginny simply responded with a shy nod that was anything but helpful to Harry's difficult task. He cleared his throat and continued.

"The truth is, Ginny," he said softly, "that I like you. I mean, _really_ like you. And I suppose I'm wondering if you –"

Harry wasn't even able to finish his sentence when Ginny lunged forward without warning and flung her arms around Harry's neck with such intensity that he was forced to take a few steps back until he was backed up against his desk. She kissed him passionately and rather hungrily as her lithe form pressed against him. Gingerly, Harry returned the embrace as well as the kiss, all the while thinking about how lucky he was.

* * *

When Harry and Ginny joined Ron and Hermione at dinner that evening, they looked sort of dishevelled but luckily, Ron didn't notice. He was far too busy explaining to Hermione why he deemed the 'Starfish and Stick' one of the more useful moves for a keeper to learn. Hermione was doing her best to seem interested but was failing.

"Hi guys," she greeted happily at the pair's arrival, obviously glad for the distraction from the Quidditch talk. She did a double-take before narrowing her eyes at Harry but said nothing.

Harry – who felt strangely put in the spotlight – tried straightening out his robes as he searched for a change of topic.

"So Ron, heard anything from Fred and George yet?" he asked.

Ron snorted. "Hardly," he said, "Bill sent a letter to mum practically begging her to come and get the twins away from him for some reason but mum insists that they're of age and don't need her to tell them what to do anymore. Not that they've done a bang-up job listening to her in the past, of course."

Harry frowned. "Why does he want them gone?"

"Because they've been there for ages, I suppose," Ron said, shrugging, "And now he can't get rid of them. They must really like Egypt."

"Yeah, that must be it," Harry agreed, "But I hope they come back soon. Their joke products might run out if they don't."

"Not yet," Ron said, "They already set up and pre-paid a long term delivery. Almost as if they've anticipated staying away for a while, now that I think about it."

"Well, they're nothing if not crafty," Harry replied, "I'm sure they've thought of all scenarios before leaving their shop behind."

"Honestly, I think they're going to come home with an amazing new prank," Ron said as he bit off a huge chunk of the steak he pierced with his fork. Hermione scrunched up her nose in disgust but chose to roll her eyes instead of berating her boyfriend.

"Hey guys," Draco interrupted as usual. He went to take a seat when he froze and allowed his gaze to drift over Harry and Ginny. Ginny met his stare defiantly but Harry squirmed somewhat in his seat. He became even more uncomfortable when a devious grin spread across Draco's face.

He altered his course ever so slightly to worm his way in between Harry and Ginny, draping an arm around both of them.

"It's about time, you two," he said happily. Ginny shoved him away, causing him to almost land into Harry's lap, sniggering all the while.

"What are you talking about?" Ron frowned, "About time for what?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Draco exclaimed, easily straightening Harry's tie, "These two snogged."

"What? No way," Ron said dismissively, "What are you on, Draco? And can I have some?"

"Fine," Draco said, grabbing a clean plate and filling it up, "Don't believe me. And while you're at it, you can ignore that tell-tale blush on both of their faces as well."

"Harry, tell him he's full of it," Ron chuckled. His smile faltered somewhat when Harry stared decisively at the chicken filet on his plate. "Ginny?"

"And what of it?" Ginny said casually, "I'm sixteen years old, you know. I have needs, the same as you."

"No you don't," Ron said, "You're my baby sister. All you need is Quidditch and hanging out with your friends."

Ginny huffed as she got up from her seat, walked over to Harry so Draco wouldn't physically be blocking him, grabbed him forcibly by the necktie and planted a passionate kiss right then and there on the unsuspecting boy's lips. Several of the surrounding students cheered and whistled. Not that Harry minded. Oh, he didn't mind in the least.

"I'm not a child anymore, Ron," Ginny told her brother as he stammered incoherently, "I'm a woman and want to be treated as such. And if I may say so, I advise you do the same to Hermione before she runs off and finds a man who is more than willing to. Pass me the butter, Harry."

Ginny casually buttered a nice warm roll, resolutely ignoring the stunned faces of the golden trio and the self-satisfied grin on Draco's. Harry could only admire her straightforwardness and aloof mannerism at this point. He himself felt an odd combination of mortification and gratification. The mortification only won out when Harry remembered that Snape was probably sitting at the high table and had no doubt seen it all.

As if in slow motion, Harry gazed up at the spot Snape usually sat at and was met with obsidian eyes that were accompanied by a much too cheerful smirk. And then that sarcastic git raised his glass in salute and winked. Harry groaned, wishing that the ground could swallow him whole right then and there.

* * *

Harry was glad that Snape didn't really seem to want to have a conversation about his newfound relationship. Other than the occasional snarky comment, he made no fuss or anything for which Harry was grateful.

What he was less grateful about was Slughorn's interference. But when it seemed that Snape was not at all concerned about it, Harry relaxed as well.

"As I've mentioned before, he's a useful ally to have," Snape had reminded Harry, "and he might be able to help you when I'm otherwise engaged."

What that had meant, Harry had no clue but it wasn't farfetched to think that Snape had various side projects he wanted to make progress on, like the one he had used the Weasley twins for.

It was a few weeks later when Harry received his latest issue of 'The Practical Potioneer' which was sent out mainly because of the position of Mars and the effect that would have if you started brewing '_Ares' draught'_ within the next couple of days. Hermione had explained to Harry that while the magazine seemed to be distributing at random, the latest edition always had something to do with the lunar cycle or that of the other celestial bodies.

Happy to have something other to read about than the various attacks on innocent muggles and muggle-borns, Harry started thumbing through the magazine while Hermione did the same. Their respective partners shared an exasperated look before beginning a discussion on quidditch.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, "You've been published!"

Harry frowned. "That can't be," he said easily, "I haven't actually done anything yet and I promise you that I didn't send anything in."

"Yes, because I'm sure that there are multiple apprentices to Professor Snape out there that go by the name of Harry James Potter," Hermione replied sardonically, "Skip to page eight and see for yourself."

Harry did what Hermione said and was perplexed to find about half a page dedicated to one of his recent discoveries which he had forgotten all about.

'_On the increased potency of the antivenom potion'_

_While a rare occurrence, it does happen every now and then that an apprentice shakes awake the community with a simple yet important discovery. _

_Esteemed Master Severus Snape reported to us that his apprentice Harry James Potter offered to exchange the sprig of rosemary for azalea leaves. Risky and unnecessary you say? Many would agree but under the watchful eye of his Master, apprentice Potter took that risk and therefore elevated the potion to new levels of potency. _

_As always, we recreated the potion to test the theorem ourselves and after multiple tests, we can conclude that this discovery is indeed viable. Therefore we urge everyone to take note and adjust their recipes accordingly. _

_Why an apprentice was found to have such a profound understanding of potions and, more importantly, their ingredients can only be traced back to the Master himself. Severus Snape – of whom you'll find more information on page 14. – has graciously taken Harry Potter under his wing which allowed the pair of them to best you-know-who. _

_It goes without saying that we will be expecting great things from this future potioneer and can only hope that his prowess will match his Master's. _

"Wow Harry," Hermione breathed, "This is amazing! I'm so jealous of you."

"I'm not even sure how they know," Harry frowned.

"Oh, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said excitedly, "Professor Snape informed them. Look, it's right here at the bottom."

Harry glared at the finely printed text, '_Supervised and collected by highly esteemed Potions Master Severus Snape and derived by his Apprentice Harry James Potter'_.

"I'm not sure I like this," Harry growled, "Yet another reason to be in the spotlight."

"I think it's brilliant," Hermione said, "You're good enough to get published already."

"Yeah, that's amazing!" Ginny interjected as she grabbed the magazine from Harry. "Wow, my boyfriend must be really smart." She winked at Harry when Ron groaned. "I'm proud of you," she then added earnestly, kissing him softly as if in reward to his achievement.

"What does it say about Snape though?" Ginny then asked, flipping the pages accordingly.

'_On the brilliance of Master Severus Snape'_

_It is easy to become complacent once you've attained the status of Master but Severus Snape has never fallen for that particular trap. With talk of his already famous apprentice Harry James Potter, it might be easy to lose sight of the Master behind the student but we will remind you exactly why you shouldn't._

_Severus Snape is not only the youngest Potions Master in over a century, he has also made leeway on a lot of important potions of our time. Not only has he improved tremendously on the 'Wolfsbane Potion' – which though originally created by Damocles Belby left much to be desired – he also shared some astounding research on the staff of Caduceus and invented the Ares' draught which is featured on page 3._

_When we take a look at his creative process …_

The article went on and on about the various potions Snape had created and improved upon. Testimonies from other Masters who grudgingly admitted to Snape having a hand in the success of their own creation and even some prizes he won such as the golden chalice which he apparently received thrice.

"Wow, Snape is more impressive than I thought," Ron finally added to the conversation. He had been reading Hermione's magazine over her shoulder. "Or are they embellishing?"

"I somehow doubt that," Hermione said, "This is a very respectable magazine. It's not like the daily prophet, you know."

"They didn't even mention the limerick potion," Ron snorted, "Who knows how many unregistered potions he created to punish people."

Hermione sighed, "You got what you deserved, you know."

"And it was hilarious too!" Ginny interjected, "I hope you step out of line at his home again."

"Never again!" Ron said, "I will be on my best behaviour at his house from now on."

Harry glanced at Snape who was reading the same magazine they were with a look of mild interest and couldn't help but think that he was lucky to have such a respected Master to guide him. He knew Snape was good, but he had never truly known just how accomplished and well-respected he was in the community.

And at once, he was overcome with a sense of pride. Not for himself, but for the dour man currently sitting at the high table, raising a sardonic eyebrow when he caught Harry staring.

* * *

_And there you all go. I hope you liked the chapter and I wonder what you all would like to see next._

_Please review! It pleases me so._


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter is quite important and will finally get the ball rolling some more. I know that many of you have been waiting for some more discord and angst and such and this is the prelude to some of that awesome drama. _

* * *

**Chapter 8**

It was nearly two whole weeks later when Harry deemed his theorem worthy of inspection. As instructed, it had opened with a hypothesis of his idea.

"… _I have encountered death and its following misery more times than I can count, not only in my own life but in that of others as well. The wounds of war are far more than just physical and the wizarding world is only starting to develop an understanding of what that entails just now. I wish to help people who have been unable to move on after losing a loved one and believe that communicating with the person they lost might benefit them greatly. I know that it would help me._

He explained how he wanted to achieve this result. He had done the math as best he could. He had listed all ingredients as well as their counters should they be necessary and he created the chemical formula that went with the recipe. Harry felt that he was ready to start brewing the potion. After all, it could not improve without the much needed practical trial and error.

So he had finished the theorem with the conclusion that if all went well, the end result would be to communicate with the souls of the departed through the typical senses of sound and sight but also through touch and even smell. After all, had he himself not always longed to be hugged by his mother?

Harry contemplated if he should wait for Snape to come to meet him in the lab but since they hadn't actually agreed to meet, he decided to just go to Snape's private quarters and present him with his work. So he made the very short trip, and politely knocked on the door, his hands trembling with anticipation.

"Enter," Came Snape's usual response. Harry opened the door and looked at Snape who was reading the Daily Prophet with an almost bored expression on his face.

"What can I do for you, Harry?" he asked without even looking up.

"I think I've finished my theorem," Harry said, feeling somewhat giddy, "And I was wondering if you'd be willing to look it over to approve me for the practical follow-up."

A small smile graced Snape's features for the better part of a second before he put down the newspaper and held out his hand.

"I could do with some more interesting reading," he sighed, "It would seem as if the writers for The Daily Prophet are becoming less and less competent. Go on and hand it over."

Harry thrust the sheets of parchment forward with a bit more force than was necessary causing him to lose the last few pages that weren't held firmly in place.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he ducked and clumsily picked up the pages from where they landed. He handed them over to Snape who added them to the back of the theorem, shaking his head in mild amusement.

"There's no need to be so nervous," he said in a calm voice, "I am here to assist and guide you, not to shoot your ideas down."

Harry relaxed somewhat and waited with his hands clasped behind his back.

Snape sighed heavily. "Take a seat and keep yourself occupied, Harry," he ordered, "Judging by the length of this, I will be reading for a long while. And I will not have you staring at me while I do so."

"Of course, sir," Harry agreed. He grabbed one of Snape's potions books – one Harry had already read several times – and curled up in the chair next to the fireplace.

Snape chuckled and started reading, expertly ignoring the glances Harry chanced every now and then.

* * *

It quite literally took hours for Snape to get through Harry's theorem. His face had not once betrayed his thoughts and it was driving Harry mad. He had finished with the book some time ago and was quickly overcome with boredom. And yes, that was a welcome change from the anxiety he had been feeling for those first thirty minutes Snape had been reading but he wanted to get this over with already.

In his mind, he went over his idea several times, hoping that Snape would not find too many faults with it and allow Harry to further his studies. He had been working on the theory for months now, after all, and was just itching to start throwing those ingredients together and see a result. As a manner of speaking, of course. He would never haphazardly throw ingredients together. Not anymore, at least.

Finally, Snape cleared his throat and Harry looked up from the spot on the table he had been staring at vacantly, meeting Snape's cold, calculated expression.

"First of all, I would like to impress upon you the importance of the presentation of your theorem," Snape spoke.

Harry frowned, not interested in such things at all but waited and listened politely.

"I see that you have utilized the standard parchment that is commonly used in this school," Snape pointed out. "While fine for common homework and notes, your theorem – especially that of a Magnum Opus – should always be produced on decent parchment. In fact, having grown up in a muggle household, I am certain that you're aware of the existence of paper. While the wizarding world is generally behind when it comes to appreciating the inventions of the common muggle, when it comes to important tasks such as these, we make grateful use of their craftiness."

Harry had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Instead, he calmly said: "Use paper, not parchment. Understood."

Snape smirked at him but didn't comment.

"Furthermore, the terminology you used is far too complicated," Snape continued, "If it were for my eyes only, that would be fine but you need to remember that when you publish a theorem, more people than potioneers will read it. A master in herbology, for instance, might take great interest and in your case, I might even suggest that a seer might deem this a compelling read. Therefore, you have to make this easier to understand."

"Dumb it down," Harry snorted, "got it."

"Watch the cheek, brat," Snape chided lightly this time. He sighed and continued.

"You must remember that this is a scientific text. Therefore, you should avoid using opinions and emotional sentences above all else. Otherwise, you come across as biased from the start and will not be taken seriously."

Harry nodded in understanding, still waiting anxiously for any comment about the contents of the theorem rather than the surrounding technicalities.

"I've noticed that your arithmetic skills leave much to be desired," Snape droned on relentlessly, "I've encountered three major errors that would leave your potion inert at best and cause mass destruction at worst. Furthermore, you didn't specify the thickness or the type of cauldron one should use for this potion nor the material of the accompanying stirrer. You added the use of a spell in the potion but didn't specify how the spell works or how one goes about casting it. Especially since you're using a spell that is not well known, it is of crucial importance that you do so."

Harry's confidence had been decreasing more and more over the course of Snape's carefully structured criticism and by the end, he didn't have much hope left. Yet he still dared to ask.

"Could I start brewing it while I rework the theory? As soon as I've worked out the math properly, of course."

Snape regarded Harry carefully, making the boy feel like some sort of rare and valuable potion ingredient. A flicker of sadness marred the stoic appearance Snape was trying to convey, if only for a second before he spoke again.

"Out of the question," Snape said, "In fact, I believe that this potion should never be attempted, even when the theorem is perfected. It is dangerous not to mention quite dark. Even when you manage to brew it, I can only imagine the devastating effects this will have on the drinker's psyche. I cannot condone this." Snape sighed deeply. "I suggest you start from scratch and come up with something less… controversial."

"How can you say that?" Harry bellowed, his temper quickly taking hold of him, "I've been working on this for months! It's not dark. It's supposed to help people!"

"Harry –"

"No!" Harry interrupted, "You're supposed to be so great. You could probably think of something to help me realize this. I know you could! But of course, you don't! Why would you when you obviously can't even face my mother!"

Harry grabbed his theorem and stormed out of the door, leaving a befuddled Snape behind. He regretted what he said immediately but was too upset to go back and apologize. He had put so much time and work in this! And it took Snape only a couple of hours to decide that he was inadequate and not allowed to brew his creation.

Upset, he ran all the way to the Gryffindor tower and stormed into the common room where Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sat.

"Harry," Ginny said, getting up as soon as she saw how upset Harry was. "Are you okay?"

"No," Harry snapped, "Snape says I can't make my potion!"

"Oh Harry," Hermione said soothingly, "I'm sure he'll allow it once you polish the theory just a bit more."

Harry laughed bitterly. "Oh no," he said, "Snape was very clear. I can't brew it. Not now, not ever. Months of research, out the window!"

Angrily, he slammed the parchment onto the table and sat down with a frustrated sigh.

"Well, what did he say?" Ron asked, unsure of what he could contribute to a highly academic problem.

"He said it's dangerous and dark," Harry said flatly, "And that there was no way to drink this safely."

The three Gryffindors shared a look and Harry narrowed his eyes.

"What?" he growled.

"Well," Ginny started, "It's just that Snape is a well-respected Potions Master. He probably knows what he's talking about."

"How can you say that?" Harry asked, angrily getting to his feet again, "You're supposed to be on my side."

"We are!" Ginny countered, "And so is Snape. We just don't want you to get hurt."

For a second, Harry felt his chest tighten with a twinge of guilt when he remembered what he had said – well more like yelled – to Snape before storming out. It was cruel, especially when Snape was indeed just looking out for him. But then his disappointment came washing back over him and swept his guilt away like the ocean would footprints in the sand.

"Fine," he scowled, turning his back on the three traitors. "I can see how it is."

"Harry –" Ginny started, reaching out to him.

"Don't," Harry spat at her, "I need to be alone for a while."

And with this theorem under his arm, he left the Gryffindor tower once more, swiftly losing hope of being treated fairly. But perhaps, there was one more person that could help Snape see the light. Steeling his resolve once more, Harry headed towards Dumbledore's office.

* * *

Harry was about ready to blast that gargoyle to pieces when it refused to allow him entrance for the umpteenth time. Harry had named every sweet he had ever encountered, be it muggle or wizard and the blasted thing still wouldn't open.

Just when Harry was on the verge of pulling out his hair, the gargoyle finally moved, revealing Dumbledore waiting at the top of the stairs.

"Come on up, my boy," he said loudly, "It would not do for you to blast the hallway to pieces."

Harry mumbled something under his breath about ancient headmasters but made his way up anyway. When he entered Dumbledore's office, he was surprised to find Slughorn seated there already. The man greeted him warmly and Harry reciprocated politely.

"The password is simply 'milky way'," Dumbledore informed Harry, "But I asked Archibald not to allow anyone entrance while I am up here with Horace. Of course, I didn't account for one very upset potioneer in training to grace me with his presence."

"Archibald?" Harry asked.

"The gargoyle, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled, "Have a lemon drop."

"No thank you, sir," Harry said dryly.

"Very well," Dumbledore conceded, "Now how may I help you?"

Harry glanced over at Slughorn, not sure if he should speak with the man present but Dumbledore waved his concerns aside.

"If this is about anything to do with your apprenticeship, I assure you that Horace is more than capable to enlighten you with his insights. Two heads are better than one, as I always say."

Harry shrugged. Maybe Slughorn would be on his side and would be able to come up with a way to help Harry, even if Snape couldn't or wouldn't.

"He won't allow me to brew my potion," Harry explained, placing his theorem on Dumbledore's desk. Slughorn took it immediately and started leafing through it but Dumbledore simply steepled his fingers and smiled warmly as he listened to Harry.

"I've been working on this for months," Harry repeated for the third time that day, "And now Snape won't even allow me to go forward with this. I mean, I know there are some errors in there and I mean full well to correct them but I really don't think this will be as dangerous as he makes it out to be.

"Do you feel that Professor Snape is treating you unfairly?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry sighed in frustration. "No," he said, "Not on purpose anyway but I think that he lets his personal feelings get in the way."

"Harry, this is brilliant!" Slughorn exclaimed after a short while as he thumbed through the list of ingredients and regarded the formula carefully. "There might be some consistency errors here and there but you could really make this work. This could very well be the discovery of the century!"

Harry felt his disappointment and anger diminish somewhat while Slughorn gushed over his theorem. At least there was someone who saw its potential.

"Horace," Dumbledore said gently, "Would you kindly leave Harry and I alone to talk for a while? We shall revisit our own discussion at a later date."

"Are you sure, headmaster?" Slughorn asked, "I'm sure I could be of value if –"

But Dumbledore held up a calm hand, stopping every objection Slughorn could have. When Dumbledore regarded you with the look in his eye that he had now, you knew that you should make yourself scarce. And so Slughorn fled Dumbledore's office but not without squeezing Harry's shoulder reassuringly as he left.

"Harry," Dumbledore said warmly, the sparkle in his eyes already back at full force. "You and I have faced each other many times in the past. Be it in this office, the hospital ward or anywhere else. But it has occurred to me that we have never had a professional conversation before. Before anything else, I want you to know how pleased I am to know that there is now room in your life for these sorts of problems. Your life is no longer focused solely on the destruction of Voldemort and so we can move on to more pleasant conversation."

Dumbledore sighed solemnly as he glanced over Harry's theorem and Fawkes thrilled sadly in accordance.

"And yet it would appear that Voldemort still influences your life somewhat," Dumbledore continued, "If only through the absence of the people you deserve to have here for you."

"He doesn't run my life, sir," Harry objected quietly, "These choices are my own."

"There is no shame in being shaped by the life you've lived, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Even if there was a great deal of sadness in yours. I hope you don't misunderstand me. Voldemort is in no way dictating your actions from this life or the next, but our experiences shape us. And yours have shaped a longing for what might have been. I am sad to admit that I too am sometimes plagued by such notions."

"Which is why I want to brew this potion," Harry said earnestly.

"Allow me to give you some grandfatherly advice," Dumbledore said as he laid out the pieces of parchment next to one another as if he was making an overcomplicated puzzle.

"Your journey into attaining this mastery has only scarcely begun. And you will encounter many pitfalls along the way. It is only natural that you require direction to follow this path correctly but when I look at your theorem I sense that this is something you still lack, as do any young pioneers such as yourself. You don't lack knowledge. Of that, I can see the proof right here. But you have to gain that sense of direction to even begin going anywhere."

"Because Harry," Dumbledore added with a knowing look in his eyes. "It is not the destination that matters, it's the journey that takes us there."

Feeling somewhat deflated, Harry leaned back into his chair, actually grabbing a lemon drop.

"So I suppose that you think Snape is right?"

"_Professor_ Snape, Harry," Dumbledore chided lightly, "And you would do well to remember that he is your mentor and far more knowledgeable than you are at this stage."

Harry sighed in defeat.

"Having said that, I don't agree that you should simply discard your entire project and start anew."

Harry's green eyes filled with hope. "Do you mean that I could still make this work?"

"I certainly believe so, Harry," Dumbledore said, "For now, you should probably leave your project to simmer. There is no shame in that, you know? I have projects going on that I have let simmer for decades simply to give myself some time to think it over."

Dumbledore chuckled at the horrified look Harry gave him.

"Not that I had that in mind for you, my boy," he assured him, "But I do think you should put a halt to this potion until you've mastered Occlumency."

Harry actually snorted at that. "Professor?" he asked, "I feel like that's neither here nor there."

Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "Trust me on this, Harry," he said gently, "And tell Severus what I said. I'm sure he will adjust his opinion accordingly."

"Alright," Harry said doubtfully as he took his cue to leave, forgetting to take this theorem with him.

* * *

Harry felt slightly better after the conversation with Dumbledore but was not looking forward to facing Snape just yet. He had said something admittedly horrible to the Potions Master, even though the man was obviously only trying to help. Sure, he hadn't needed to be so dramatic about it but Harry's reaction was still over the top.

In fact, it was reactions like that, that had made it so bloody difficult for Harry to master Occlumency. He was fine as long as he wasn't emotional but those times were rare indeed. It was a good thing he hadn't been sorted into Slytherin way back when. He wouldn't have lasted a week surrounded by the cool and collected personas of Snape's house.

Harry walked all the way back to the dungeons, passing Professor Bell on his way to Snape's personal quarters. He stopped for a moment to help her out.

"Are you lost again, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Oh Harry, thank Goodness," Bell said, "Good to see you. I'm afraid that I can't find the staircase to the second floor."

"You wouldn't down here, Professor," Harry said, "We're in the dungeons. You need to go all the way back until you see the doors to the great hall and take a right."

"That sounds easy enough," Bell said, smiling thankfully. "But where are you going?"

"To see Professor Snape," Harry sighed with a somewhat haunted look in his eyes. Bell frowned slightly at that. "Anyway, good luck, Professor!" Harry exclaimed before turning the corner that led to Snape's personal quarters.

He was about to knock on the door when he heard loud voices come from within.

"I can't believe you would keep Harry from personal growth, Severus!" Came the unmistakable voice of Slughorn. "This potion is nothing short of genius."

"I will not endanger his life and mind for the completion of a potion, no matter how brilliant it might be," Snape countered strongly.

"Sometimes you need to take chances to improve yourself," Slughorn said.

"Not at this stage," Snape growled, "Not when he's still learning to find his own way."

Then Slughorn said something indiscernible to which Snape replied; "Above anything else, he's still my son."

Harry swallowed thickly and knocked on the door, tired of eavesdropping. It took a few seconds longer than normal for Snape to beckon him to come in and when he did, Harry opened the door slowly and doubtfully.

"Come in, Harry," Snape sighed when the boy kept dawdling at the door, "Professor Slughorn was just leaving."

Slughorn made a noise in the back of his throat and glared at Snape who was completely undeterred by the shorter man's gaze. He then turned to Harry and sighed solemnly.

"I'm sorry Harry," he said, "I tried."

And he left as Harry stood there somewhat awkwardly.

"Looks like I'm not the only one with a sense of the melodramatic today," he said painfully as he shuffled his feet.

Snape regarded him before turning to face the fire.

"Sit down, Harry," he said curtly. Harry was glad to find no anger or resentment in Snape's voice. The poorly disguised hurt on his face cut Harry deeply, though.

"I'm sorry," Harry blurted out as he hastily sat down in accordance with Snape's command. "I shouldn't have said what I said."

"No, you shouldn't have," Snape said softly. He had his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed into the flames. Anxiously, Harry licked his lips, his hands playing with a stray thread of his cloak.

"I was upset," Harry said, "But it was still wrong of me. I really _am_ sorry."

This time Snape faced Harry and found the boy sitting there, resigned to his fate. He sighed softly.

"I forgive you, Harry," he said, "Though I do not condone your behaviour in the least. I will have you know that many accomplished masters have started projects that months or sometimes even years later proved to be useless or simply too dangerous to ever use or even brew. This _will_ happen again."

"I understand sir," Harry acknowledged.

There was a moment of silence in which Snape regarded Harry carefully.

"I realize you visited with the headmaster," Snape then said softly, "And Professor Slughorn as well. Did you hope that they would overturn my decision?"

"Well, yes and no," Harry admitted honestly, "I didn't expect to find Slughorn there but Dumbledore didn't send him away. I never meant to include him. I did hope that Dumbledore might talk to you and have you come up with a solution."

Snape sneered, "And how did that work out for you?"

"Well –" Harry started, not sure how Snape would take this mad suggestion.

"Out with it," Snape snarled, crossing his arms tightly.

"He suggested that I master occlumency."

For a moment, Snape's face was frozen in a mask of disbelief and Harry wondered idly if he should floo the hospital wing. But then, the Potions Master shook his head incredulously, smiling as he did so.

"That brilliant old man," he muttered, seemingly forgetting that Harry was still in the room. "Occlumency, of course! It is that simple."

He started pacing in front of the fireplace. Harry had to tuck in his legs, afraid that Snape would trip over them if he didn't.

"It's rather genius, really," Snape continued muttering, "If one could lock down their mind while still allowing for – but that would also mean that –"

"Professor?" Harry interrupted.

Snape stopped his pacing and looked at his charge with interest and excitement in his eyes.

"Harry," he said solemnly, "It appears that this time, you truly _will_ need to master occlumency."

* * *

_I know what you're thinking! Damn, MS. Occlumency again? I thought you abandoned that idea altogether? But no sirree, here it is! Back for more. How do you all expect this to go? I hope you'll look forward to what comes next. And please, please throw me a review! _


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

As Harry was gathering his things to get ready for his first Occlumency lesson in a long time, Ginny stopped him.

"Hold up, you're going to practice with Snape again?" Ginny asked. The annoyance lacing her voice was evident enough for Harry to raise his eyes skyward in frustration.

"You know that I'm working hard," Harry countered, "You know what I'm trying to achieve here. Being an apprentice is no joke and if I want to be able to brew my potion, I need to step up."

"But you're already gone for most of the day," Ginny argued, "Even in the weekends, you're always busy. You rarely even come to Hogsmeade anymore and when you do, you shop in the apothecary for over an hour."

"That's because their assortment isn't always the same," Harry sighed, trying his best to make his girlfriend understand, "So at times, I need to check their inventory again."

"Do you even know how to have fun anymore?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms tightly.

Harry sighed and brushed a stray lock of Ginny's hair out of her face, cupping her cheek tenderly as he did so. "I don't mean to make you feel this way," he said softly, "But I'll make it up to you. Meet me in the common room later, okay? Once I'm back from my Occlumency lesson."

Ginny smiled and placed a hand over the one that still rested on her cheek. "Sounds good to me," she said, "but make sure to be there. I won't be responsible for my actions if you're not."

"I'll be there," Harry said solemnly, "I'll miss you."

"Yeah well don't miss me too much," Ginny said, "Or Snape might see some memories about you and me and I won't have that!" She winked flirtatiously and spun on her heel, her red hair swishing as she went.

Harry just shook his head and quietly made his way down to the dungeons. He could understand that Ginny was unhappy about him spending all this time on his studies but he also felt like she should understand that he was passionate about this.

By the time he arrived at the door of Snape's private quarters, his mind was completely befuddled by the mysteries of the female mind. He shook it off and knocked.

"Come in," Snape called.

When Harry walked in he noticed that Snape had pushed all of the furniture aside, leaving a nice and open area to practice Occlumency in. What he also noticed were a few bottles of a potion he didn't recognise. And since Harry was certain that he would be able to recognise most known potions by now, this did not bode well for him.

"You realize the door is attuned to _your_ magic as well, don't you?" Snape asked as he took one of the vials, "You don't need to knock every time. Especially when I'm already expecting you."

Harry shrugged. "It just seems like the polite thing to do, really."

Snape just motioned for Harry to sit by pointing to a spot on the floor. Harry complied easily.

"As you are well aware, we will be revisiting your Occlumency training," Snape explained. "We left off at a rather difficult stage in your training too."

"My emotions," Harry supplied.

"Quite right," Snape said, sitting down in front of Harry, the vial of unknown potion held loosely between his long fingers.

"The difficulty here is that you appear to have mastered the technical aspects of Occlumency entirely. I am unable to get to the memories you hide away – in fact, I still haven't found your hiding place for them – but once you get emotional about anything, your shields crack, and your memories come as if of their own volition."

"Like with Voldemort," Harry pointed out.

"Exactly so," Snape admitted in a low voice. "It worked out to our advantage that time but that won't work for the potion you have planned."

"I'm still not sure how Occlumency is in any way related to my brewing that potion," Harry noted.

"Sometimes you're as much of a dunderhead as your fellow Gryffindors are," Snape sighed, "It is obviously not necessary for the brewing process but it is essential for when you actually drink the blasted draught."

It was as if a lightbulb was turned on in Harry's head. "I see," he said, "To counteract the combination of the honey mead and the monotropa uniflora."

"Especially if you are indeed planning on adding the basilisk blood," Snape noted, "Which I know you are because you need its magic potency. What I do wonder though is how you are planning on getting it."

"Well, there is a basilisk body simply waiting to be harvested underneath Hogwarts," Harry offered.

Snape sneered and shook his head lightly. "A discussion for another time perhaps. We have strayed far from the point I originally wanted to make. When you get emotional, you can't perform Occlumency."

"Right," Harry admitted begrudgingly, "Is that what the potion is for?"

Snape sighed heavily and ran a hand through his long hair. "We need you to practice Occlumency while under great emotional distress," he explained, "Otherwise, these lessons are entirely useless. I assume you haven't heard about the '_Drink of Despair'_?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but it doesn't sound good."

"It's not," Snape agreed, "I was tasked with its creation while still under the Dark Lord's service. What he was planning on using it for, I'll never know since I've never actually seen him feed it to anyone but that's irrelevant"

"Now it _definitely_ doesn't sound good," Harry said, attempting to convey a joking tone but failing miserably.

Snape glared at him pointedly before he went on. "In its undiluted form, this potion induces fear, delirium, severe stomach pain and brings forth the drinker's most intense and painful memories. When diluted – as I have done for this occasion – the effects are all still there but in a much more bearable capacity."

Harry swallowed thickly, "You want me to drink this?"

"If I'm being completely honest with you, Harry, no I don't," Snape said plainly, "If it was up to me, I would stop this foolishness entirely, cancel your occlumency lessons and have you work on a new idea for an entirely new potion that doesn't require you to get reacquainted with some of the most painful memories of your life."

Snape frowned as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder, applying just a bit more force than necessary. "Say the word and we stop this. But if you wish to proceed with brewing your creation, we have no choice in the matter. This is the only way."

The gaze that met Snape's after that held unmistakable courage and determination. Snape knew instantly that there was no getting around this. Harry would always be a Gryffindor. He would not back away from a challenge such as this.

"I'll manage," Harry said, keeping his voice steady. He held out his hand in order to take the potion from Snape. The potions master reluctantly gave it to him.

"Hand me your wand before you drink it," Snape said, "I won't have you attempting to hex me because you suddenly think me to be the Dark Lord."

Harry didn't think that was particularly likely but he handed over his wand anyway.

"Now I want you to clear your mind and raise your shields before you take the potion," Snape said as he tucked Harry's wand away next to his own.

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. He discounted all emotions and hid his most embarrassing and painful memories under the invisibility cloak of his mind, as he'd done before. He nodded when he was done and felt Snape's probe with a nonverbal Legilimens to test him.

"You're ready," Snape said, "Go ahead and drink the potion. Try to focus on keeping your shields up despite your emotions. Don't try to force them back because you won't be able to. Understand?"

"I understand," Harry said and before he could change his mind, he downed the potion in three swallows.

As soon as the potion was gone, Snape took the empty vial from Harry's hand and placed it on his desk. He then sat down in front of Harry, watching him intently.

At first, Harry didn't really feel any different. He stared at Snape who was sitting silently in front of him and kept his shields up. For a moment, he wondered if Snape had done something wrong with the potion. Perhaps he diluted it a bit too much. But then, Harry was overcome with a wave of agony and despair so powerful, he was nearly knocked over by the sheer force of it.

"Concentrate, Harry," Snape reminded him, "This is an exercise not in controlling your emotions but in focusing around them. Keep your shields up!"

_Harry was six. He was hiding. He didn't know what happened but when Dudley had pushed him again and again, Harry had gotten so very angry. And almost as if in resonance with his anger, the couch cushions had exploded, terrifying both children present. Harry didn't know what had happened but it wasn't his fault. His aunt and uncle hadn't shared this opinion though._

_It didn't take long for Uncle Vernon to reach the state in which he resembled a purple balloon, ready to burst. While aunt Petunia comforted Dudley, uncle Vernon took a few menacing steps towards Harry._

"Focus Harry," came a familiar voice, "Raise your shields. You're not occluding."

Harry blinked and for a moment, he could see Snape sitting in front of him, his demeanour relaxed but his eyes held a worried gaze.

Right. He wasn't six. He was at Hogwarts and he was practising Occlumency. Now that he focused on it, he could feel Snape's presence in his mind. Somehow, he found this to be a reassuring anchor of sorts.

With a flash, the memory resumed right where it left off, the myriad of emotions coupled with a dull throbbing pain in his stomach.

"_Freak!" Vernon bellowed as he got closer to Harry. Harry scrambled up the stairs, not sure where he was planning to go._

"_You dare!" Vernon roared, "You dare attack Dudley like this! You dare disrespect us in our own home!" Harry kept glancing over his shoulder to see the fat man approaching fast. Without thinking, he slipped into the master bedroom and ducked under the bed._

"Harry, listen to me," a soothing voice said, "This isn't real. This is all in the past. Clear your mind."

_Only a moment later, Vernon stormed through the door, his heavy footsteps halting for a moment._

"_I've had enough of your freakiness, boy," he growled menacingly, "But I will teach you –" He took a few steps toward the bed and Harry held his breath, his small hands clasped over his mouth to stop any sound from emerging. Fear quickly overtook him._

"Listen to the sound of my voice, Harry," that same soothing voice said, "You are safe now. Your uncle has been dealt with. You need to raise your shields."

"_I will teach you not to mess with normal people!"_

_Faster than Harry had thought Vernon could move, the raging man ducked to the floor and peered under the bed. A malicious smirk split his face in two when his beady eyes locked onto Harry's. Harry screamed through the hands he still had clasped over his mouth, backing up to the far wall to avoid Vernon's grubby hands. But the man got a hold of Harry's pants leg and reflexively, Harry kicked._

_As soon as his foot connected with Vernon's arm – however light the attack might have been – Harry knew he was in big trouble. Vernon roared in rage and grabbed at Harry again, this time getting a hold of his shirt collar. _

_He dragged Harry from under the bed, tears streaming over the young boy's face._

And then the memory was banished. Harry blinked a couple of times as he took in his surroundings. Memories of what he had been doing came crashing back and he groaned at his failure.

But he wasn't in Snape's quarters either. The surrounding area was a blinding white and there were no pieces of furniture or really anything materialistic to break the awful white that enveloped him.

"Are you alright?"

Harry snapped his head back to see Snape standing next to him, a vacant expression on his face. Harry frowned, not knowing what to make of this.

"Severus?" he asked, "What's going on?"

"You were not occluding," Snape explained, "And I didn't want to see the rest of that memory nor did I think you did."

Harry flushed. At least, he thought he did. He wasn't sure of what was possible in his current surroundings.

"So where are we?" Harry asked, "We're not dead are we?"

Snape chuckled, which reassured Harry tremendously.

"Not at all," Snape replied, "Since the potion is still in effect and will be for a while, I needed to isolate your consciousness and put it in some sort of quarantined area so to speak. I've disconnected you from your emotions and passive memories for the time being."

Harry stared incredulously. "You can do that?"

"I am an accomplished Legilimens, Harry," Snape said in a way that almost sounded as if he were insulted, "The mind holds little to no secrets for me. Doing something like this is easy."

Snape waved a hand and conjured a black chair in which he sat down. "Do you want to try again, or do you wish to remain here until the potion wears off?"

"I want to try again," Harry said honestly, "It's just that –"

"Yes?" Snape urged.

"When I'm in a memory, I can't remember what I'm doing. I can't even remember that I'm a wizard."

Harry sighed. "How do I practice Occlumency without even remembering what that is?"

"Eventually, it will become second nature," Snape explained, "You will constantly be raising those shields, regardless of whether or not there is a threat. For now, you would do well to focus on yourself before you are drawn into another memory."

"Focus on myself?"

"Yes," Snape replied, "It would appear that you were surprised by the sudden pull of your memory. Perhaps this is why you've lost sight of who you are. Now that you know what can happen, I need you to picture yourself sitting here. I want you to imagine those shields around your mind and I want you to try and distance yourself from the memories that will attack you."

"But they're so strong," Harry uttered.

Snape smiled and put a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. "You are stronger," he said easily.

Harry blinked to keep a few tears at bay. After the vivid memory, he just witnessed, remembering just how miserable he had been throughout his young life, the impact of a parent that believed in you wholeheartedly was enormous.

"Let's try again," Harry said confidently.

Snape nodded. "Remember to try and retain yourself," Snape warned, "I will release your mind in three, two, one…"

_Harry was eight. He was standing at the edge of a great river while the Dursleys were trying to fix their flat tire. Why uncle Vernon had thought this shortcut was a good idea was beyond anyone but Harry knew better than to say anything._

Harry focused on himself. He knew this was a memory. He knew this wasn't real. He was aware of his own breathing and could vaguely make out the reassuring presence of Snape sitting across from him.

"_Wanna play a game, Harry?" Dudley asked innocently. By now Harry knew better. Dudley never had good intentions with Harry. _

"_Not really," Harry had replied cautiously. "There's nothing to do here anyway."_

"_We could go for a swim," Dudley countered. _

_Harry looked at the river that was running rather fast behind him. He frowned and looked at Dudley._

"_I think that's a bit dangerous," he said, "The current is strong and I don't really –"_

"_What?" Dudley asked, smirking all the while, "Don't you know how to swim?"_

The presence of Snape in Harry's mind was quite reassuring but at the same time, he realized that the goal of this exercise was to expel Snape completely. But with Snape gone, so would be his anchor. Harry tried his best to shove this memory aside but it was firmly in place. Much more so than during normal Occlumency lessons.

Was it because of the potion or was it because he was much more emotional now? Harry was kind of upset with Snape viewing even more memories of his past. He hadn't even seen half of his horrible past.

"_You know I don't," Younger Harry growled at Dudley._

"_Well, I do," Dudley said proudly._

_Harry huffed indignantly. "Well, we can't all be bloated enough to be our own life raft."_

_Dudley's demeanour switched from reasonably calm to enraged in a matter of seconds. _

"Focus," Snape's voice resounded through Harry's mind. "Recognise your emotions for what they are. They are a part of you but they need not hinder you. Allow them to wash over you and detach yourself from them."

Harry took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, ignoring the feelings of fear and anger that lingered near the surface.

_Dudley rushed forward and slammed his shoulder into Harry's chest. Harry was knocked backwards and tried to keep his footing when the ground disappeared from beneath him and his body made contact with cold water. _

'I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions,' Harry thought.  
"Then don't be," Snape replied calmly, "Dominate them."

Harry felt a sense of cool wash over him as he stepped back and looked at the scene rationally. Fear had been a very logical emotion for a child that fell into a river. Especially one that didn't know how to swim. But Harry wasn't that child anymore and needn't be afraid.

He was angry at Dudley for putting him in that position, and rightly so. But Dudley was still as much of a child as Harry was. It was only right to forgive him for such actions if only to heal himself.

The memory ended and Harry was aware that Snape's presence was gone. He felt a sense of loneliness but also one of accomplishment. He felt someone touch his knee and opened his eyes, very much aware of the pain in his stomach.

"Well done," Snape praised him, "Now keep that focus. The potion won't wear off for another ten minutes or so. Use that time to practice."

Harry focused on his breathing. He even found that focusing on the pain in his stomach helped. He allowed his emotions to run their course but did not fight them. At least, he tried to.

Every now and then, he felt Snape probing his mind with Legilimency but he did not break Harry's walls. It was obvious that Snape was being much too gentle though. If he applied any pressure, Harry knew that his walls would break apart.

"I think it was that muggle 'Nietzsche' that said, 'One ought to hold on to one's heart. For if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too'," Snape suddenly said.

Tired emerald eyes met obsidian and stared at Snape incredulously. "What?"

"I thought it rather fitting." Snape explained, "Makes me wonder if he was perhaps a squib to have such a keen grasp on a very important Occlumency lesson."

"You're distracting me," Harry breathed.

"Am I?" Snape countered, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

"Fine," Harry said, "I understand. It's all a part of it. I'm doing my best here!"

"Care to tell me what you thought of when you pushed me out?" Snape asked, "I'm curious to know what your approach was."

"I thought about my feelings," Harry said through gritted teeth, feeling somewhat stupid. He was vaguely aware of the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "And I thought of why I had them and tried putting them into context."

"A very clever way of approaching yourself," Snape commended, "In order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did and why you no longer need to feel it."

Harry groaned as he put a hand on his aching stomach. "Sure," he panted, "Whatever you say."

"Harry, you've made a breakthrough today," Snape said suddenly.

"You're going easy on me," Harry accused.

Snape snorted. "Going easy on you? You are still aware of the potion I fed you, are you not? I might not be trying to invade your mind to the best of my abilities at the moment, but the fact that you are speaking coherently while under the potion's influence is worthy of praise by itself."

"It's diluted," Harry gasped.

"Yes," Snape nodded gravely, "And eventually we can test your skill using the undiluted version –" Snape shuddered at the thought. "- But for now, this is impressive enough."

Snape eyed Harry curiously as the boy was leaning back, panting heavily as he attempted to power through the pain.

"We would never have been able to elevate you to this level of Occlumency at the beginning of our collaboration," Snape said kindly.

"Yes well," Harry said, "I trust you a lot more not to rummage through my mind and sell my memories to the highest bidder."

Snape chuckled. "Witty to the end, aren't you? Just relax and let the potion run its course. It will only be a few minutes more. Afterwards, you can meet up with that redheaded girlfriend of yours."

"How do you know about that?" Harry groaned.

Snape frowned at his charge. "What do you think?"

Harry just groaned. This time more out of embarrassment than out of pain. Sometimes it sucked to have a father that could read minds.

"Actually, could I just stay here tonight?" Harry asked, "I really don't feel that well and I'm not sure I can even make it back to Gryffindor tower on my own."

Snape regarded him carefully. "Hm, I suppose it would be prudent for me to make sure there are no lasting side effects. Very well. You may stay here for the night. Your room is ready for the night."

Harry sighed in relief as he tried to stand on unsteady legs.

"Thanks, Severus."

"Anytime," Snape said easily.

* * *

_Did you all like Harry's Occlumency lesson? Do let me know what you think. I anxiously await your reactions._


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The next morning, Harry felt much more rested. Since it was a Sunday, there were no classes and Harry could take his time getting ready. He started his day by getting breakfast with Snape.

"I heard you haven't been to any of the Quidditch practices yet," Snape commented out of the blue.

Harry scoffed. "How did you even hear about that? You're not one to take an interest in Quidditch."

"Have I not been to every one of your games thus far?" Snape countered.

"Sure," Harry said, "But I imagined you did that because you expect me to fall off my broom every match."

"I will admit to that being a primary concern of mine," Snape said as he calmly cut open his croissant. "I will never admit to wanting to watch you play simply because you are very talented and a joy to watch."

"That _would_ seem a bit uncharacteristic," Harry agreed calmly, "We would need to check the skies for flying pigs."

"Perhaps you could do so during your next Quidditch practice," Snape suggested slickly.

"Oooooh," Harry exclaimed, "Very smooth indeed. And I thought I had you that time too."

Snape huffed indignantly. "It will be many years before you are able to distract me from my purposes. Now, why is Professor McGonagall complaining to me that I don't allow you enough time to practice?"

"Because she hasn't bothered to ask _me_, I suppose," Harry shrugged, "If she had, I would have told her that the choice is my own. I'll talk to her today."

"I am perfectly capable of dealing with your head of house by myself, Harry," Snape sneered, "What I want to know is why you're not flying."

"I'll still participate in the official matches," Harry assured him. He bit a piece off his toast and chewed thoughtfully before adding, "I know what I'm doing. I don't need practice."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, disgusting brat," Snape said jokingly, throwing a napkin Harry's way. "And don't you think it's somewhat selfish to not go to practice while your teammates are out there combating the elements?"

"I'd rather work on my potions," Harry argued, "And Ginny takes up a lot of my free time as well. She –" Harry stopped talking and groaned, banging his forehead against the table and leaving it there.

"Now what?" Snape asked.

"I told Ginny I'd meet up with her yesterday, remember?" Harry asked, "I totally forgot."

"You were indisposed," Snape pointed out, "Surely, Ms Weasley will understand."

Harry chuckled. "Have you met her?"

Snape sighed, not at all wishing to get himself mixed up in teenage drama or voice his concerns regarding the only daughter of the Weasley clan. Instead, he readdressed the issue at hand.

"All work and no play kills the potential of discovery, mastery, and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention," Snape said easily.

Harry blinked. "Are you actually telling me to focus _less_ on my apprenticeship?" he asked, completely baffled.

"What an odd thing to say," Snape said easily, swishing his pumpkin juice as if it were fine wine. "I am merely sharing some wisdom with you. Make of that what you will."

"Just come out and say it," Harry teased, "You're worried that I'm working too hard. You want me to have fun."

"You're being quite insolent today," Snape remarked as he flipped a page of the Daily Prophet. "Somehow, I don't –"

Snape's expression darkened as he read the paper. Harry frowned but rather than ask Snape what was wrong, he moved to stand behind him and read the article over his shoulder.

_Muggle Hunting Continues_

_Yesterday evening, another twenty bodies were discovered in Abernethy forest. They were all muggles who were out camping as a group the muggles refer to as 'scouts'. Most of the bodies were that of young children between the ages of twelve and fifteen._

_These continuous attacks have rekindled the muggle's interest and fear of werewolves and large manhunts…_

Snape closed the paper rapidly to keep Harry from reading more.

"Do you think it's Greyback?" Harry asked quietly.

"I'm almost positive it's him," Snape replied, "But I doubt he's alone."

With a great sigh, Snape got up from his seat and tucked the newspaper away in a desk drawer. "In any case, it is nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"What are you talking about?" Harry objected, "These attacks are obviously orchestrated by death eaters."

"And what makes you think that death eaters are your responsibility?" Snape urged, raising that one eyebrow.

"Well, since they're affiliated with Voldemort, I thought –"

"Just because you were prophesized to kill the Dark Lord – with which I still don't agree, mind you – doesn't mean you are responsible for wiping out each and every one of his followers as well," Snape said dangerously.

"But we can't just let them carry on like this," Harry protested.

"Actually, I think you'll find we can," Snape said evenly, "We've paid our dues. For once, we can leave this up to the ministry."

"But-"

"Enough, Harry!" Snape said sternly, his tone leaving no room for further arguments. "I don't even know what you would be planning and how you would even begin to go look for their whereabouts but I forbid you from attempting to engage them. For once, put that Gryffindor bravery out of your mind and keep yourself occupied with other things."

"Like Quidditch?" Harry said darkly, "while children are getting killed?"

"_You_ are a child," Snape replied coldly, "And Quidditch seems like a fine alternative indeed."

"Fine," Harry sighed, getting up to leave.

"Harry," Snape warned, "I need you to promise me not to do anything rash."

"I promise," Harry said easily, "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"None of us do," Snape admitted quietly, "But after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain."

* * *

When Harry emerged from Snape's quarters, his outer robes folded neatly over his arm, he was so far gone in this thoughts that he didn't even notice a certain Professor stand in the doorway and nearly knocked her over.

He grabbed her arm as she faltered and quickly steadied her. "I'm sorry, Professor," Harry exclaimed, "I didn't see you there."

"That's alright, Harry," Bell said cheerfully, "Accidents happen."

"Are you lost again?" Harry asked, "Do you need me to take you somewhere?"

"You are too kind, Harry, but no," Bell replied, smiling fondly. "This time, I'm exactly where I need to be. This is Professor Snape's office, right?"

Harry chuckled. "Close, but not entirely. These are his private quarters."

Bell seemed slightly taken back by that. She gave Harry a searching look and frowned for a fraction of a second, so quickly that Harry almost missed it.

"Would you like me to get him for you?" Harry asked.

"If you would," Bell replied happily.

Harry opened the door and called out to Snape. "Professor!"

A grunt indicated that Snape was listening.

"Professor Bell is here to see you."

A few seconds later, Snape appeared next to Harry, raising an eyebrow when he saw the brunette stand there with a smile far too cheerful this early in the morning.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Good morning to you too, Severus!" Bell replied happily, not at all undeterred by Snape's dour attitude. Harry was unable to hide a small smirk. It would appear that Bell's hesitance earlier this year in regards to Snape had all but vanished.

"You told me that I could come and get the requested potions today, remember?" she asked.

Snape sighed. "Right," he said, "Though I also told you to meet me in my office rather than lurk in the vicinity of my quarters."

Bell actually chuckled at that. "You know me!" she replied, "I'm hopeless. I'm afraid I got –"

"- lost," Snape finished for her. "I gathered as much."

"Yup!" Bell nodded.

"If you'll follow me," Snape said evenly, pushing Harry lightly out of the way so he could close his door. "Run along now, Harry. You're not needed here any longer."

By now, Harry had known Snape long enough to know when the man was uncomfortable. And this was him, severely unnerved. It was best not to cross him, he knew, so he obeyed.

"See you later, Professor," Harry said, running off.

* * *

When Harry entered the common rooms, everyone's conversation halted. At least twenty different pairs of eyes landed on Harry, regarding him with a look that he could not quite place.

Suddenly, many of them made up excuses to leave in a hurry, effectively emptying out the common room until only Ron, Hermione and Ginny remained. Ron and Hermione looked embarrassed about something but Ginny just seemed angry.

Harry sighed. He really was not in the mood for this.

"Harry James Potter!" Ginny shouted, "Where have you been?"

Putting on a mask of indifference – at least he thought it was a mask – Harry looked Ginny in the eye, noting the anger and explosiveness that always seemed to be somewhat present in the redhead before him.

"I was indisposed because of my lesson," Harry replied truthfully. He had not expected the hex that was thrown his way a second later, narrowly dodging it. With a bang, it collided with the wall behind him.

"You promised!" Ginny accused him.

Incredulously, Harry looked at his girlfriend. "Did you just try to hex me?"

Another flick of her wand, and another. Harry was ready for it this time and sidestepped easily. When not in control of her emotions, Ginny's spellcasting left much to be desired.

"Control yourself," Harry said coolly.

"You never have time for me!" Ginny screeched, never lowering her wand.

"Ginny, stop!" Ron said, but his voice betrayed uncertainty.

"Stay out of this, before I put you in a body bind," Ginny snapped.

And then it hit Harry as a wave of understanding flooded him. The Occlumency lessons of the night before had made it all the more clearer to him. Behaviour such as Ginny's was not something he wanted to condone any longer. She was volatile and aggressive just like the Dursleys had been, even if in a lesser capacity. Just because she was a girl younger than him and used magic as her weapon did not make it okay. And he had suffered through enough violence and anger in his life. A girl like Ginny was not right for him and never would be.

"Expelliarmus," he said coolly. Ginny's wand flew straight into Harry's hand. He caught it with an icy glint in his eyes, not unlike the one that could often be seen in Snape's.

He thrust the wand into Hermione's hands, never taking his eyes off of Ginny. Disarmed as she was, the girl put her hands on her hips as if to signify that she was not afraid. There was a fire in her eyes that Harry had once deemed attractive but was now nothing more than a reminder of pain.

"It's over," he told her. His voice as steady as he could make it and his resolve clear even if his heart couldn't help but ache when he uttered those words.

Ginny's defiant glare vanished immediately, replaced by surprise.

"Harry," she whispered, glancing at Ron and Hermione as if she was looking for support. "You don't mean that."

"You clearly don't understand what I'm passionate about," Harry said coldly, "And I have very little patience left to deal with your childishness. Unfortunately for you, I am not shallow enough to be placated by a pretty face."

A sob resounded from Ginny's throat but Harry felt little want to comfort her. Instead, he felt relief. He cast an apologetic look Ron's way and left the common room again. He'd rather not be around for the next outburst that was sure to come.

* * *

Even though the heatwave had long passed, Hedwig had made herself quite comfortable in the dungeons. Even when Harry had told her she was free to move back into the astronomy tower, she had simply refused, turning her head indignantly.

So Harry had let her be with express permission from Slughorn who seemed more than willing to provide Harry with what he needed.

Sighing, Harry took a large cauldron from the storage room and placed it on the grate, filling it with water. As he watched the clear liquid swirl, just waiting to absorb ingredients and magic in the creation of something wonderful, Harry felt his shoulders quiver. He held onto the edge of the cauldron for support and stared into the water, meeting his green eyes as they were reflected back to him.

Had he been too harsh? Too quick to judge? Angrily, Harry swiped at this reflection. No, there was no reason for him to put up with that kind of behaviour. Even if a small voice in the back of his mind told him that he was used to it. That it was nothing. That maybe he deserved it.

Quickly banishing those thoughts from his mind, Harry walked over to the ingredients cupboard and got what he needed. Maybe creating a potion would relax him. He grabbed the carefully preserved liquid silver and the wolfsbane.

Back at his station he started angrily crushing the moonstone into tiny fragmented pieces, not stopping until the slivers he was supposed to get out of them turned to dust. He looked up when a soft hoot startled him.

Hedwig had flown over to him and was now sitting on the edge of the cauldron, her head slightly tilted as she looked at her master.

"I know Hedwig," Harry said quietly, "I ruined the moonstone."

Hedwig hooted softly and fluttered over to sit on the desk.

"It's really not that warm anymore, Hedwig," Harry said, trying to sound cheerful as he started cutting up the mistletoe. "You can go now."

Hedwig hooted indignantly and nipped at Harry's fingers.

"Ow! Careful, Hedwig. Mistletoe's poisonous," Harry argued, swiping the plant out of Hedwig's reach. Hedwig hooted again.

"No, I don't think she'll be coming here anymore," Harry replied to his familiar, "It's not like she ever cared about potions anyway."

Hedwig clicked her beak, hopping a bit closer.

"You're right. I didn't either, at first," Harry admitted, "But I had so many things to think of. Voldemort seemed a tad more important than potions at the time, you know?"

Hedwig screeched as she unfolded her wings a bit.

"No need to be angry, he's gone," Harry assured her, "Which is why I can now focus on my studies. I wish I realized potions was this interesting a long time ago."

Hedwig flew over to perch on Harry's shoulder and seemed to snuggle up to him, fluffing up her feathers in contentment.

"You're not going to tell me that you think I'm neglecting you too, are you?" Harry accused lightly. Hedwig rearranged his hair with her beak in response, hooting all the while as if she was fussing over her owlet.

"Is that why you're not leaving?"

Hedwig took flight and flew straight into the ingredients cupboard that Harry had forgotten to close again.

"Hedwig," Harry said sternly, "Get out of there."

Hedwig emerged a moment later, and landed back on Harry' desk, depositing a new moonstone.

Harry chuckled. "Quit babbling and get back to brewing, is it?" he said. Hedwig hooted contently in response, pecking at Harry's mortar.

"I will, you silly owl, no need to attack my instruments," Harry said, taking the mortar away from his owl. He eyed her appraisingly for a while, noticing that Hedwig almost seemed proud of herself.

"You're a very clever bird, aren't you?" he asked seriously, "Maybe one day I might invent a potion to talk to you."

Hedwig hooted in response and ruffled her feathers, preening them in contentment while Harry got back to work, brewing the wolfsbane potion to clear his head.

He was halfway through creating the base when the door to the lab opened.

"There you are," Snape commented as he strode inside.

"Where else would I be?" Harry greeted him heartily.

Snape eyed Hedwig for a moment as she sat half-snoozing near Harry before walking over to the cauldron and peering into its contents.

"Wolfsbane?" he said curiously, "Got any werewolf friends I don't know about?"

"Just the one," Harry chuckled, throwing in a dash of ground pepper.

"I heard about your altercation," Snape said.

"You are turning into quite the gossip, Severus," Harry growled as he stirred his potion. "What else have you heard through the grapevine?"

"Oh, you're just hilarious," Snape bit back, "Where do you think your little friends go when they think you're upset?"

"I would hope that they don't go crying to any teacher – guardian or not – for something stupid like a break-up," Harry said matter-of-factly. "Hedwig, would you hand me those cloves?"

Snape frowned as he watched Hedwig do exactly as Harry asked but made no comment about it.

"Apparently you were somewhat upset," Snape urged.

"I wasn't the one who started throwing hexes," Harry said coldly. He chopped up the cloves and threw them in the cauldron. "So if anyone was upset, it was Ginny. Why don't you go comfort her?"

Snape summoned a stool and set it next to Harry's desk, claiming it to watch Harry work. "Ginny is not my daughter," he said frankly, "And I care not for her. Not one bit."

"That's harsh," Harry commented, stirring his brew slowly, "Because she's a Gryffindor?"

Snape smirked. "That might be part of the problem yes," he admitted, "Though if the past has proven anything, Gryffindors tend to have a way to worm themselves into my heart."

Harry snorted, "Like parasites?"

"Exactly so," Snape agreed, "But Ms Weasley could never. She's far too…"

"Careful now," Harry warned, "It's best that you don't badmouth students in front of their peers."

"She was never right for you," Snape said simply, "She was probably suitable for soothing any teenage urges you might have had but –"

"No, stop!" Harry interrupted, "Not this again!"

Snape grinned. "But she was never on par with you intellectually. Not even when I still mistook you for a dunderhead."

Harry sighed. "You're probably right. But it still hurts."

Snape grabbed a few cloves of garlic and started mincing them. "Each time our heart is broken, we should learn a lesson and not repeat the same mistakes. However, often there is nothing we could have done to save the relationship."

"And what mistakes should I learn from," Harry asked.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Snape said easily. "What lies beneath the surface of shallow waters? Nothing. It's only when you go deeper that the ocean comes alive. The deeper you go, the more mysteries and surprises await."

Harry sighed, seemingly getting tired from Snape's advice.

"It will get better, Harry," Snape insisted.

"Will it?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes fixed on Snape's. He seemed to be searching for something in the man.

"Careful," Snape warned Harry, "I know that you're not feeling particularly pleased right now, but I advise against voicing your current thoughts."

Harry threw in the splinters of the moonstone he had now carefully crushed.

"It's better this way, I guess," Harry shrugged, "I'll have more time to focus on my studies. And –" he grinned at Snape, "- to play Quidditch as well."

"Oh joy," Snape deadpanned, "Professor McGonagall will be ecstatic to hear and I, in turn, will be pleased to not have her turn up in my fireplace anymore."

"She's been doing that?" Harry chuckled.

"She's always been a competitive person," Snape shared with Harry, "And she needs you if she wants to stand a chance against the Slytherin team."

"Can you really handle losing again?" Harry asked, performing the very last intricate stirring pattern there was to the potion.

"The way I see it, I win either way," Snape said playfully, "Either my house wins or my son does."

"So you can be at the victory party no matter what," Harry said happily, "Unless Hufflepuff wins."

"If they win this year, I'll resign," Snape said seriously.

"A bit too late for the Defence against the Dark Arts curse to befall you, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"It's no longer in effect," Snape said, "Since the Dark Lord died."

"Good thing too or I would still need to teach the DA," Harry said, "And I don't have the time for it."

Harry hauled the cauldron off the fire, allowing it to cool. "What do you think?" he asked, "Is it acceptable?"

"Outstanding as always," Snape said, "Do you need it all for your werewolf friend or shall I give some to Lupin?"

Harry rolled his eyes as he bottled whatever portions he could get out of the potion. "Do with it as you please," he said, "My werewolf friend doesn't really need it anyway. He has a friend that is a Potions Master, you see."

"I see," Snape replied. He looked over at Harry who was now cleaning up his working space. Hedwig had flown back to her perch, allowing Harry the space.

"You're certain you're okay?" Snape asked one last time.

"I will be," Harry said, smiling honestly. "There's no need to worry."

* * *

The lack of the full moon did not make Greyback any less dangerous. He loved tearing people apart, even in his human form. And they really didn't need to be muggles or mudbloods for him to appreciate their anguished shrieks and panicked flailing. Licking his lips in anticipation, he released the girl he had captured before and watched her flee into the thick arboreal path. Exactly fifteen seconds later, he gave chase.

"Talk, Mr Pippin," Bellatrix said sweetly, "And I suggest you do it quickly before Greyback catches your daughter. He's not exactly what one would call… friendly."

A smirk that rivalled that of a Cheshire cat split her face in half as she laughed. The man beneath her grovelled and pleaded, his wand long snapped in half when he had tried to protect his family. His wife already lay still next to him, her throat clawed out and her limbs broken, displayed in an unnatural fashion as if she was a puppet that was dropped by her puppeteer.

"Please," he pleaded, "I told you all I know!"

"So you're telling me that there are no imminent orders from him?" Bellatrix asked snidely, "No potion ingredients? Nothing?"

"No!" Pippin said truthfully, "Nothing yet. Please. Please let my daughter go!"

At that moment, a high-pitched screech filled the air and Bellatrix laughed hysterically before shutting her mouth with a click and shouting; "Greyback! Return".

It couldn't have been more than a minute later that the werewolf returned with the girl. He was dragging her with him by holding on to her right foot while her left was kicking the air in a desperate attempt to break free.

"Oh dear," Bellatrix said sweetly as she approached the girl. She couldn't have been more than seven. "Are you scared of this big man?" she asked, "Did he hurt you?"

The girl sobbed uncontrollably, clearly overcome by terror.

"I'm sorry dear, but we had no choice," the former death eater said, kneeling next to the girl. "Your father simply does not want to cooperate."

"Mum," the girl cried, "I want my mum!"

"Certainly," Bellatrix said, smiling broadly. She snapped at Greyback who dragged the girl towards her parents and threw her to the ground right next to her mother's mangled body. She screamed and tried to get up but Bellatrix cast a body bind on her. She tutted as if she were reprimanding a young child. "Now now," she said, "You said you wanted your mother. Here she is."

"Let her go!" Came Pippin's furious exclamation. He tried to get to his feet, seemingly forgetting that his legs were broken.

"Should I?" Bellatrix asked as if she were contemplating it. "Give me one good reason."

"Painite," The man said, "I'm supposed to contact him once I've received Painite. He's been asking for it."

"Your point?" Bellatrix asked, tilting her head as if she was trying to understand. Tears were leaking from the petrified girls' eyes.

"I will tell him that I got some," Pippin said desperately, "He'll come for it. I know he will!"

Bellatrix clapped her hands together. "Excellent!" she said happily, "See, I knew we could make some sort of arrangement. You do that, and we shall return your daughter to you."

"But-" Pippin wanted to argue.

"Let us know the time and place," Bellatrix told him, "If anything goes wrong, like you tipping him off or him not showing up, your daughter will stay with us. My husband and brother in law will surely wish to have their way with her."

She gestured towards Rodolphus and Rabastan who sat away from the action, glancing at her when she mentioned them.

"But if you succeed in bringing him to us, we will release your precious daughter," Bellatrix continued. "But you'd best hurry," she added darkly, "Or she might not come back to you in one piece."

* * *

_There you are dears. Ginny is gone. Told you all it wouldn't last! I hope you're not too mad at me for it either way. What do you reckon is going through Maya's mind right now and who is Bellatrix trying to capture? Please tell me what you think and what you liked/disliked. I welcome all reviews!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Harry was strongly aware of the warm sunlight on his face coupled with the strong winds that flew past him as he raced around the Quidditch pitch.

"Ronald Weasley managed to stop the quaffle again," came Luna Lovegood's commentary, "He's doing this weird move that makes him look like a starfish. It seemed entirely accidental to me at first but since he keeps doing it, I no longer think so. Either way, no one has managed to score yet."

She was right. They had been in the air for about thirty minutes if Harry's estimates were somewhat correct and neither team had managed to score a single goal.

The Ravenclaw team had done some restructuring and since Cho Chang had graduated, they replaced their seeker as well. Harry wasn't sure if she was any good yet since this was the first game of the school year but he knew better than to underestimate his opponent. Currently, she was circling the pitch the same way he was but on the opposite end. At one point she had made an admittedly clumsy attempt at a '_Wronsky Feint'_ that Harry had simply ignored.

"Ginny Weasley got the quaffle and she's rushing towards the goalposts. Oh – Oh dear, the bludgers are closing in. Careful Ginny or they'll get you."

Ginny looked over her shoulder to try and spot the threat Luna had perceived and therefore missed the approach of the bludger right in front of her. It collided with her shoulder, causing her to spin uncontrollably for a few seconds until she regained control of herself.

"I told you to watch out," Luna said airily, "Roger Davies got a hold of the quaffle this time. I wonder if he's still in touch with Fleur. I never did ask him how that ended up. Did you all know 'Roger' means 'famous spear'? It might mean he will become a famous chaser one day. Or perhaps a famous spearman. Are those still around? Ah, he couldn't get the quaffle past Ron. Those Weasleys are really good, aren't they?"

Harry laughed. He really loved Luna's commentary. While not very useful and to the point, it kept his mind occupied and entertained.

Harry whooshed past the stands to see if any of them were hiding the snitch but came up empty. He saw that McGonagall looked amused and not at all as annoyed as she had been with Luna when she only just begun commentating. Even Snape seemed to be entertained by her antics. Probably because he was not really a Quidditch fan and appreciated Luna's dreamy monologues.

When Snape caught Harry watching him, he pointed towards the pitch as if to tell him to get back to it. Harry gave him one of his cheekiest grins, glanced around one last time and returned to his post. In doing so, he passed Ginny who gave him a murderous glare. Harry rolled his eyes and kept scouring the grounds, ignoring the song that was erupting from the Gryffindor stands.

_Weasley is our King,__  
__Weasley is our King,  
He didn't let the Quaffle in  
Weasley is our King._

_Weasley can save anything,  
He never leaves a single ring,  
That's why Gryffindors all sing:  
Weasley is our King._

Harry smirked. How fantastic was it that the Slytherins had given the Gryffindors the opportunity to hail Ron in song. They had only needed to change some of the words.

But then again, the Ravenclaw keeper was pretty good himself. Suddenly, Harry caught Ron waving at him with all the subtlety of an ostrich in a tea shop. When Harry looked at him, Ron waved vaguely at an area behind him. Harry didn't need to be told twice.

"It almost looked as if Ron Weasley was performing some kind of mating dance," Luna said happily, "Perhaps he was trying to regain Harry's interest for his sister. Either way, it seemed to have worked because Harry is quickly headed his way."

Harry noticed that the Ravenclaw seeker was not following him. Perhaps she thought that Ron simply wanted a word about something. The beaters – however – seemed to be sharper of wit and they both launched a bludger Harry's way. He dipped dramatically in order to evade them, then pulled up sharply in between both beaters, laughing joyously as he did so.

No matter what, Quidditch always made him feel alive. Even when it almost killed him.

Finally, the Ravenclaw seeker caught on but it was far too late. Luna was yelling something with much excitement but the wind rushing past Harry's ears left him nearly deaf for everything else around him. He rushed past Ron who smirked triumphantly while the Gryffindor beaters knocked a bludger straight into the rival seeker's path, slowing her down even more.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway. By now, Harry had spotted the snitch fluttering somewhere near the edge of the pitch and snatched it out of the air, making a U-turn to show off his catch as Ron nearly jumped him while they were still in mid-air.

"Harry caught the snitch for all the points," Luna said dreamily, "I suppose it's all over now. Gryffindor wins. Thanks for coming and I hope to see you all again next time."

Harry landed his broomstick and was swarmed by the rest of his team. Davies shook Ron's hand politely, the two boys smiling at each other.

"Nice keeping, Weasley," Harry heard Davies say.

"Your keeper was bloody brilliant as well," Ron said amicably, "This could've been anyone's match, really."

"Not when your seeker is Harry Potter," Davies chuckled, "Good game anyway."

"Yeah, good game."

Harry couldn't help but notice how much Ron had matured.

* * *

Snape was on his way to his private quarters where Harry was waiting for him to get started with his next Occlumency lesson. He was rather unhappy with the prospect of hurting Harry more like this as well as viewing those horrible memories of his childhood that never failed to fill his own heart with anger but there was nothing to be done. This was what Harry wanted and Snape did not want to deprive him of the opportunity.

That didn't mean he had to like it though. And his displeasure with the situation was clearly manifested on his face as he swept through the corridors, his fierce glare enough to force most of the people who would cross his path to move away.

Yes. Most of them.

"Severus, do you have a moment?"

Of course, Professor Bell was not to be swayed by his malice. Couldn't she get lost somewhere? Preferably in the vicinity of the forbidden forest or something?

"No," he replied curtly, not halting his movement. And yet, the persistent woman did not falter behind. In fact, she kept up with him even if that meant somewhat skipping or half-running to do so.

"Come now, Severus," she said, huffing with the fast steps she was forced to take. "I just want to talk to you."

"I'm not available right now," Snape said, glaring darkly at the spritely woman, annoyed when she simply smiled sweetly at him.

"I just want to talk to you about Harry."

That stopped Snape dead in his tracks. It took Bell a few moments to realize his arrest and almost tripped over her own feet as she turned around to face him again, her hair swaying as she moved.

"What about him?" Snape growled, narrowing his eyes at her. "Is something wrong?"

Bell seemed to think that question over for a moment. Not at all sure of how to respond to that. "Well –" she said hesitantly, "I was wondering if you could enlighten me about the relationship between the two of you."

"I beg your pardon?" Snape asked, quirking his eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?"

"It just seems a bit odd," Bell continued as she brushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, her gaze seeking Snape's. "And I'm probably wrong about this but I'd rather be wrong and embarrassed at the end of this than be right and not have done a thing about it."

Snape's earlier foul mood was lifting slightly as he felt amusement at what Bell was saying. She couldn't actually be implying…

"And what – pray tell – is this situation you speak of?"

Bell seemed to steel her resolve as her fierce gaze bore into Snape's eyes. She tilted her chin ever so slightly and Snape couldn't help but cross his arms and lean against the wall he was standing near as he watched her gather herself. _Oh, this would be good_.

"Is it normal for an Apprentice to seek refuge in his Master's private chambers as often as Harry does?" Bell asked.

Snape exhaled sharply as he tried not to laugh. He couldn't believe she had actually gone there. "No," he said easily, "Not at all."

Bell frowned, staring at Snape as if he were some anomaly she couldn't quite figure out. "Then, what are you doing with him?"

Snape pushed himself away from the wall and continued walking. "Follow me," Snape said briskly, "And I will show you just what it is we do together."

It didn't take long for Snape to hear the tell-tale sound of another pair of shoes hastily trying to keep up with him. Ever so slightly, he slowed down. Not enough for her to notice what he was doing, but enough to be sure he wouldn't lose her along the way.

"Are you saying he's there now?" Bell asked.

"Of course," Snape supplied, "Where else would he be?"

"In Gryffindor tower," Bell snapped, "In the library? Anywhere else."

"Oh, but he so much rather spends his time with me," Snape said maliciously.

"He always looks so tired when he returns from you," Bell accused, "Just what are you doing to him?"

"Nothing he hasn't asked for," Snape replied. Oh, how he was enjoying this back and forth. It was fun to tease this woman who was obviously quick to mislead. Had truly no one told her about the relationship between Harry and him?

"Here we are, Maya," Snape said, smirking as he opened the door to his quarters where Harry was already sat on the floor as he read through one of his books. There was obvious surprise in his eyes when he looked up.

"Professor Bell," he greeted half-heartedly, quickly getting up from the floor and brushing himself off. Harry glanced at Snape, clearly seeing the amused twinkle in the man's eyes, not quite understanding what was happening.

"Why has all your furniture been moved aside?" Bell asked as she stepped inside.

"We need a lot of room," Snape replied, "for when we –" he walked over to Harry and casually draped an arm around his shoulders. "-Practice."

Harry groaned when he finally realized what Snape was up to. Unfortunately, Bell seemed to take that noise of annoyance as something entirely different.

"Are you ready for today, Harry?" Snape asked more caringly than he had ever done, "Or haven't you quite recovered yet?"

Harry decided to play along. "I'm still a bit sore," Harry said pitifully, "but I'll do as you say, sir."

"Harry!" Bell exclaimed, "What's going on here?"

Snape snorted and at that moment, Harry couldn't keep it together anymore. He burst out laughing as he teasingly pushed Snape's arm away. Snape chuckled and ruffled Harry's hair roughly enough for Harry to bend his head slightly.

For a moment, Bell was shell shocked but then she departed, slamming the door shut as she went.

"Oh uh," Harry said, "You might've gone too far."

Snape shrugged. "Let her be," he said, "She's the one who wanted to meddle in things that weren't her business."

"You can be really heartless sometimes, you know that?" Harry said, "I'll be right back."

Not listening to Snape's objections, Harry left the room and went after Bell. If anything, she was still his history teacher and he did not want to end up in her bad books.

Lucky for him, Bell never got very far, already confused at the first tangent.

"Professor!" Harry called out. Bell saw him approach and sighed.

"Mr Potter," she greeted, "What more have you to say to me?"

"Professor, I'm sorry," Harry said, "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Bell looked a little bit frustrated. "I just don't understand," she said, "What's going on between the two of you?"

Harry smiled warmly at her. "I suppose no one told you yet," he said, "But Severus – well – he got me out of a really bad spot."

Bell's expression softened as she listened to Harry. "What do you mean?"

Harry scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as he sought for the right words. "You see," he said, "The family I was living with, they… they were bad for me."

Bell frowned. "Bad? Harry, did they –"

But Harry shook his head furiously. "It doesn't really matter, Professor," he said, "But I was in a bad way and Severus got me out of there. He offered me a home –" Harry couldn't help his voice from trembling as he went on, "- He offered me a family, even if it was small. He still allowed me to call it my own." Harry wiped at his face with his sleeve, something he knew Snape would reprimand him for. "And last Christmas –" Harry swallowed thickly and met Bell's compassionate gaze. "- He adopted me."

The smile that crept on his face was unstoppable and seemed to warm Bell's heart.

"Harry," she said, "I didn't know."

"He used to be much harsher, you know," Harry chuckled, "He was the fearsome dungeon bat of Hogwarts, though I suppose he still goes by that name."

Harry shook his head at the image of him and Snape fighting in the classroom, before… well, before everything. "I think _he's_ happier as well," Harry said, "Maybe still not as happy as I would like him, but better."

Bell smiled at him warmly, and without warning, she drew him into a tight hug.

"Oh, you silly child," she said, "You're so sweet I could squeeze you to death right now!"

Thankfully, she didn't. She let go and quickly wiped at her eyes. Harry graciously pretended he didn't notice. "But why did you feel the need to trick me like that? My heart nearly stopped!"

"I think Severus just wanted to mess with you a bit," Harry said, "He has a weird sense of humour."

Bell rolled her eyes. "I'll say. You can tell him that I'll get even with him for that!"

Harry chuckled. "I will. And if you need help with that, I'm your man!"

"Interesting," Bell said as she thoughtfully ran a finger across her lips. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, where do I go from here?"

"Just go left, Professor," Harry chuckled, "And then you go straight ahead. Call a house-elf if you get lost."

"Will do," Bell said cheerfully and she disappeared behind the bend.

Glad to have that over with, Harry returned to Snape.

"You're bloody mental, you know that?" Harry said after he closed the door.

"Language," Snape droned.

"Says the man who implied a sexual relationship between the two of us to a completely innocent Professor."

Snape laughed. "And where did you gather she is innocent of anything?"

"She just looks like it," Harry shrugged.

"Of course," Snape, "A solid foundation to build your trust on, the way someone looks. Tell me, were you more enamoured by her long locks or by her amber eyes? No, perhaps it had more to do with the chest area."

Harry grinned maliciously "Ah, so you _are_ aware of the finer things in life," he said, "And here I thought you were blind to any such observations."

"You are quite wrong," Snape said, undeterred, "I would have made a lousy spy had I not been able to grasp the finer details of my colleagues and their interests in others, male or female."

Harry stood there grinning for a while before playfully hitting Snape on the shoulder.

Snape took it without flinching. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Just thinking," Harry shrugged, "About the possibilities."

"Mind your cheek, brat," Snape said, "Or I'll give you the undiluted version already."

"No you won't," Harry said easily, plopping himself back down.

"And what makes you so sure of that?" Snape said as he grabbed the diluted Drink of Despair off the shelf.

"Because you're my family," Harry said matter-of-factly, "And I know you because of it."

The somewhat delighted expression on Snape's face made Harry look away as he felt himself flush.

Snape cleared his throat. "Well, shall we begin?"

* * *

It was a dreary Tuesday when Harry found himself seated next to Hermione and Ron in the morning, picking at his scrambled eggs. Ginny sat a few spots further away. She didn't seem angry anymore but she seemed distant. That was fine with Harry. Ron didn't even seem to fault Harry for anything for which Harry was grateful. The redhead had indeed matured.

When Harry looked up at the ceiling, he became aware of the pouring rain that was going on outside. Dark clouds blotted out the sky so much, it almost seemed like the middle of the night. Every now and then, lightning struck in the distance, followed by the ominous roar of thunder.

"Blimey," Ron said, "It's a good thing we don't have Quidditch practice today. We would probably be thrown off our brooms if we tried to fly."

"Trelawney seems to agree with you," Harry said, nodding towards the high table where Trelawney was standing next to Flitwick, dramatically motioning towards the skies and jumping with every approaching rumble.

"Maybe she's just scared," Hermione said.

"Or mental," Ron mumbled, shoving another spoonful of porridge in his mouth.

Harry was in the midst of peeling a banana when the doors to the great hall flew open dramatically. The hall was illuminated by another strike of thunder, revealing the form of two shadowy creatures in the doorway. Some students yelped in surprise. Others drew their wands. But none were prepared for the people who strutted into the great hall as they dripped all over the floor.

"Everyone, listen up!"

"And gather round,"

"For I, Fred,"

"And me, George,"

"Have returned from our glorious mission!"

"It's Fred and George," Ron exclaimed unnecessarily, "What are they doing here?"

The Weasley twins looked beyond awful. Not only were they dripping wet, they were also dirty beyond belief. They were smeared with mud, stinking clay and even blood. Some barely healed scratches were visible on the both of them and Fred seemed to be favouring his right leg. They looked thinner than they were before and honestly, they looked like they've been to hell and back. And yet, underneath the muck, grime and obvious fatigue, they were both grinning ecstatically.

The twins bowed exaggeratedly and made their way to the high table, parading proudly as if they were peacocks, ready to impress their potential mate.

"Hello, ickle Ronniekins," Fred said, ruffling Ron's hair as he passed.

"Good to see you, sis," George grinned, patting Ginny's hair.

"I can't believe it," Harry smirked when he noticed George carrying a book of sorts. He looked at Snape and saw that the Potions Master's face was a mask of indifference. He seemed cool and collected and not at all surprised to see the Weasley twins. But Harry recognized that glint in his eyes. Snape was very pleased indeed.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled but he made no move to greet the Weasleys. It was almost as if he already knew that they weren't there for him.

"Here you are, Professor," George said as he dropped the book onto the high table with quite the exaggerated bang.

"Told you we could do it," Fred said proudly.

Snape raised his wand and used it to scan the book that was practically dropped in his lap. When nothing happened, he opened the book and scanned its contents.

"Did you copy all of it?" he asked evenly, staring into Fred's eyes as he answered.

"Every single thing," Fred sighed, obviously exhausted.

"Well –" Snape said as his lips curled into a smile, "- you obviously lack subtlety but I commend you on a job well done. Your mother has received the formula some weeks ago. You may retrieve it from her."

"What?" George exclaimed, "You already sent it?"

"But what if we had failed?" Fred asked in disbelief, "You thought we couldn't do it! You said so yourself."

"Did I?" Snape asked, "Well, you've certainly proved me wrong, gentlemen." He smirked as he perused some more of the pages. After a while, he noticed that the twins were still standing there, looking quite dumbfounded.

"Well?" Snape asked, "What more do you expect? A kiss on your cheek and a hug goodbye?"

"Severus!" Dumbledore admonished, "Fred and George have obviously been through much."

The headmaster faced the twins with a cheerful smile and opened his arms wide in greeting.

"Please," he said, "Take a seat and eat with us. You are most welcome."

"Thanks, Professor," George said, taking a roll from the bowl that stood in front of Snape.

"We'll take you up on that offer," Fred agreed, winking at the headmaster.

They walked back over to Ron, Fred pulling him close in a one-armed embrace, rubbing his knuckles over his baby brother's head. "Missed us?"

"Not one bit," Ron grumbled, "Get off, you smell awful!"

"Scourgify," Hermione muttered as she cleaned the twins as best she could, sniffing in disgust at the puddles they left behind.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked, "And what was that recipe Snape was talking about?"

"Ah, little brother," George said, "Prepare for a fascinating tale of trials and mischief. Filled with wonder and amazement."

"Monsters and ancient magic," Fred added, "As well as love gained and lost."

It almost appeared as if the entire student body was leaning in to listen to the tales spun by the twins, while Snape was happily perusing his texts, vaguely aware of Bell looking over his shoulder with much interest.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It had been merely a few days since the Weasley twins had shown up in such ominous circumstances – that many agreed on the twins must have been waiting for – to provide Snape with what everyone seemed to think was an ordinary book. Harry knew better but wasn't about to spill the beans to anyone except his best friends. But – truth be told – he didn't know that much. Not even Hermione was able to tell Harry what the book could possibly be about. All she knew was that Pythagoras had been an alchemist.

"Isn't alchemy just another word for potions?" Ron had asked.

"Don't be daft, Ron," Hermione chided, "Alchemy is so much more than just potions. It's a meta-skill of sorts which combines all of the different magics in its process."

"But it is a very difficult skill to master," Harry supplied, "and takes years of practice and an understanding of magic that I – to be fair – do not have."

"Does Snape?" Ron asked.

Harry wasn't sure. He had never really asked Snape if he was an alchemist simply because it had never come up.

"I'll ask him," Harry said.

Since they were in the Gryffindor common room, and Snape was nowhere nearby, Harry wrote on his cuff.

'_Are you well-versed in the art of Alchemy?'_

It took a while before the answer came and Harry snorted at the words.

'_Yes. And you can tell Ms Granger that the book is none of her business.'_

Hermione blushed when Harry relayed the message. "I was just curious."

"And he's just teasing," Harry said, "It's what he does. You know him."

"Say, what is Bell doing outside of the portrait?" Ron asked. He had been lazily perusing the marauder's map for no other reason but to cure his boredom.

"She is?" Hermione asked. "Let me see."

"It's not even like she's patrolling or something," Ron said, frowning, "She just… standing there."

"She might just be lost," Harry said, "I'll go see what she needs."

When Harry opened the portrait and met the warm gaze that was professor Bell's, he knew that she was not lost. This was exactly where she had intended to come.

"Harry!" she said happily, "I can't for the life of me remember the password but I really wanted to speak with you."

Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and faced the History Professor with an amused smirk.

"Oh?" he said, "I this what I think it is about?"

Bell wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "It is, young accomplice if mine. Oh yes, indeed."

* * *

The following morning, Harry woke up bright and early to go to breakfast as soon as he possibly could. But he would need to make a small detour first. Using his invisibility cloak – just to be sure – he snuck down to the dungeons and into Snape's office which was connected to his private potions lab.

Luckily for Harry, his presence did not trigger any of the wards. He smirked to himself. Snape was losing his Slytherin touch if he allowed Harry to just enter here on all hours of the day.

He crept into the potions lab and walked over to the rack where each and every bottled concoction was neatly lined up in order of use, their labels facing forward in a neat fashion. Harry started turning some just a tiny bit. It was not noticeable to anyone who didn't pay attention to such things but Harry made it so that when facing the rack, you could not make out the entire first letter on the label.

After that, he moved a bottle of skele-gro to a shelf above where it was supposed to be. He didn't take time to inspect his handiwork. Instead, he crept back out and made to leave when he noticed a stack of papers on Snape's desk. He took the top piece of parchment and put it in the pile completely at random. That should do it for the day. Harry left, closing the door behind him and raced towards the great hall, hoping that there wouldn't be too many people yet.

And true enough, when he arrived there, there was only one other person already occupying her table as she read the quibbler.

"Hi Luna," Harry greeted.

"Good morning, Harry," Luna replied warmly, "You're here early."

"Yes," Harry replied, smirking all the while. "There was something I wanted to do."

"Something mischievous, perhaps?" Luna asked airily, "The Gronkulls told me that Professor Bell visited you last night."

Harry sat down next to the blonde Ravenclaw with a loud thud. "Hush, Luna," he whispered, the sounds of their voices reverberating loudly while there was no one else in the hall. "She did, but you can't tell anyone. Especially not Professor Snape."

Luna smiled brightly. "Don't worry," she said, "I'm not one to spoil your entertainment. And Professor Snape really needs to have some fun sometimes."

Harry laughed. "I don't think fun is in his dictionary."

"Perhaps," Luna said, "Or perhaps he needs to be reminded of its meaning." She tilted her head slightly as she regarded Harry carefully. "You know, I think you might be the one to do it."

"Do what?"

"You are the chosen one," Luna replied carefully, "And you will deliver Professor Snape from his worry and sadness."

Harry frowned, ignoring Luna's odd choice of words. "Do you really think he's sad?"

"He always has been," Luna said empathically, "It's become better over time but I've rarely seen him just happy. There's always some underlining tone of something darker there."

"I think that's just his act you're seeing," Harry supplied, "He's a lot looser at home."

"A mask tells us more than a face," Luna replied knowingly, "He wouldn't hide himself away if he didn't feel like he needed protection."

"From what?" Harry asked, blinking in confusion.

Luna smiled sadly. "From caring for others," she said, "And from being cared for. I feel that he's suffered tremendous emotional pain already."

"He's got _me_ though," Harry said.

"He does," Luna agreed, "And I think that's all he'll allow himself for now. Don't you?"

Harry sat there somewhat flabbergasted at Luna's words while she continued reading her quibbler, humming an unknown tune under her breath as she did.

It was only a few minutes later that other people started to come into the great hall, yawning and stretching as they walked.

As Harry had expected, Snape was one of the first Professors to arrive for breakfast. He quirked a surprised eyebrow when he saw Harry sitting there already and took his own seat at the high table.

"Good morning, Harry," Snape said. Since there weren't a lot of people present yet, they could easily hear each other. "Defecting to Ravenclaw, I see? How will the Gryffindor quidditch team ever survive this blow?"

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Harry said, "Well don't worry. I'll be around to kick Slytherin –"

"Language," Snape warned.

Now Bell and Flitwick came in together – Flitwick clearly serving as Bell's guide – and sat down at the table as well.

"See you around, Luna," Harry said.

"Be careful of the ravens, Harry," Luna warned, "The Gronkulls told me they have it in for a stag."

"I'll keep that in mind, Luna," Harry replied. He waved to her and walked away. But instead of heading back to Gryffindor Tower, he walked straight up to the high table and went across it to stand next to Snape.

"Have you gotten so little sleep that you've forgotten where your house sits?" Snape asked, "Do I look like a Gryffindor to you?"

"Not one bit," Harry admitted, "I just wanted to wish you a very happy Wednesday!" And without warning, Harry took a step forward and hugged Snape awkwardly and shortly. Before Snape had even processed Harry's movement, the boy had pulled away and flashed him an amused grin.

"Professor Flitwick," Harry greeted as he passed by. "Professor Bell." At her, he actually winked and she acknowledged him by shaking her head in disbelief. With her back turned towards Snape, she clearly mouthed 'subtle' and rolled her eyes to which Harry bowed graciously before running off and sitting at the Gryffindor table where Ron and Hermione had arrived by now.

"And you say the hat thought you might have done well in Slytherin?" Hermione asked incredulously, "What was that?"

"He has no idea," Harry chuckled, "Don't worry. Maybe he'll think I'm sick or something but he'll never suspect foul play."

"I still think you have a death wish, mate," Ron said, "Snape may have warmed up to you but I don't think he'll let you off the hook when he finds out."

"_If_ he finds out," Harry corrected him. "Don't forget. It's Professor Bell who is the mastermind at work."

All three of them sat on the right side of the Gryffindor table where they had a clear view of the high table and everything that was going on there. They filled their plates with the breakfast foods of their choosing and ate absentmindedly as they kept an eye on their defence teacher.

Snape seemed to sense their staring and looked at the golden trio, arching his eyebrows in a questioning look. They averted their gaze to look at their food but went right back to staring as soon as Snape refocused his attention on breakfast.

He poured himself a cup of tea but had poured a bit too harshly, causing at least half of the scalding liquid to jump right back out of his cup and land on the tablecloth and partly on his robes. The man looked around as if to check that no one had seen his little mishap – Harry had seen this reaction coming and pretended to have a conversation with his friends - and removed the spillage with a wave of his wand.

Next, he wanted to grab two lumps of sugar – as Harry knew was his usual amount – with the tweezers that were meant for them. Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Snape obviously wasn't able to get a firm grasp on the lumps. After a few tries, he mumbled something to himself and set the sugar aside, not bothering with it anymore.

Bell had noticed his predicament though and – much to Snape's mortification - added a lump of sugar to his tea. She asked him something but he seemed to snap something back at her rather rudely which she took in stride. She glanced over at Harry and when she saw he was looking she alternatively held up one and two fingers with a questioning glance.

Harry held up two fingers in response. Bell nodded and added a second lump of sugar to Snape's tea who simply shoved the cup away and filled a glass with pumpkin juice which caused no accidents.

"He seems grumpy," Ron said, "Maybe you shouldn't have done this on a defence day."

"Please," Harry said in a low tone of voice, "It'll be fine."

Dumbledore had joined right when Snape was attempting to butter a piece of bread but had pressed just a tad too hard, his knife going straight through the bread. Snape stared at it, almost dumbfounded and Harry couldn't help it. He laughed loudly. Snape turned his head sharply to see his son laughing at him and Harry could only barely make out the annoyance in his eyes. It only made him laugh harder. Meanwhile, Dumbledore had replaced Snape's piece of bread and put a hand on his shoulder, saying something softly. Snape frowned but took the bread. He didn't attempt to butter it anymore but simply put a slice of cheese on it and ate it.

"I know I've asked you this before, but he's not a morning person, is he?" Hermione commented.

"He definitely is not," Harry agreed, "Especially not when he's being picked on by a bunch of Gryffindors."

Snape didn't stay long at all. As soon as he was finished eating, he got up brusquely and went to sweep out of the hallways, glaring daggers at Harry as he went.

"I think he suspects something," Hermione said.

"He's just upset that I laughed," Harry said. "What would he even think I did?"

Harry look over at the high table once more and saw that Professor Bell was beaming at him, a mischievous twinkle in her eye that reminded Harry of the twins.

* * *

That brat must have done something! What it was, Snape could not possibly imagine but oh, it was him. The _bloody_ golden trio had been staring at him from before things had gone wrong. They _knew_!

Or was he getting paranoid? He must be. This was probably just a rough morning. These mishaps could happen to anyone. Though they rarely happened to himself. Could it have been a potion? No, he thought not. Harry knew very well that he was to report every new potion he even attempted to create to Snape and he had brewed nothing that would clarify what Snape could only explain as a lack of luck and an increase in clumsiness. And Bell had certainly seemed pleased with herself when she offered to add the sugar to his tea _for_ him. As if he were four! Maybe she was in on it too!

Snape sighed. No, he was really looking too much into this.

There was still an hour before he would have to go teach his first defence class. He would stop by his private potions lab for a calming draught real quick and he would be ready for the third graders who thought they were ready to face boggarts.

From his office, he swept into his lab and searched the labels for the calming draught. Wait… that's not where he put the skele-gro. Was it? Perhaps Harry had mistakenly put it there after he was done brewing. Snape moved the potion to where it belonged and took the calming draught.

He stared at his potions for a moment longer. Something didn't feel right. But he couldn't put his finger on it. He shook himself, dispelling the thought.

He tried to pull the stopper out of the bottle but didn't quite succeed the first time. Instead, his nail got stuck behind the cork, tearing it slightly. It was small but enough to annoy him greatly. With a huff of disapproval at his own inelegance, Snape removed the stopper on the second try and downed the potion.

He kicked off his boots and sat behind comfortably behind his desk, quite sure that no one would dare disturb him yet. He glanced at the stack of assignments on his desk. He frowned only slightly when he noticed the discrepancy but it didn't seem to bother him as much. He must've really been out of it the previous day. Could it have been the fire whiskey? He had only had one glass though.

After he took a while to gather his senses, Snape cast a quick 'Tempus' to check the time and sighed when he realized he needed to get going. He put on his boots, growling to himself when he accidentally tried putting the left one on his right foot the first time – and left to go teach class. It was only after he closed the door and tried to take a step that he noticed that his robes got stuck. It was with great self-restraint that he didn't blast the door to pieces.

* * *

By the time Snape arrived in Harry's defence class – which was the last class of the day – he was absolutely furious.

"Uh-oh," Ron whispered quietly as Snape swept past them to the front of the class, "I think you unleashed the beast, mate."

Harry chuckled, "What I wouldn't give for his memories of today."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked.

"Oh right, we didn't have the chance to tell you," Harry said, "We've –"

"Be silent," Snape snarled at his son and godson, "Or – so help me – you will be repainting every inch of Hogwarts."

Harry and Draco wisely kept their mouths shut but smiled at each other as soon as Snape's back was turned.

"Today," Snape spat, "You will be learning about detecting as well as breaking curses. If you all read the required chapters as I had instructed, you will be fine. If not –" A malicious smile formed on the Professor's lips, "- You will suffer the consequences."

Non-verbally, Snape levitated a whole slew of inconspicuous looking items out of a bag, placing them on each student's desk. Harry received a tattered looking plastic doll that looked like it could easily star in a horror movie. It missed its right arm and eye and its dress was dirty and torn.

Harry had, in fact, read the requested chapters and was focusing on the object of his current consternation, vaguely aware of Snape keeping a watchful eye on him. He cast a simple '_Revelio'_, full well expecting that to not work. And so it didn't. He could practically feel Hermione rolling her eyes at him.

"It can't hurt to be thorough," Harry said, shrugging all the while. On Hermione's desk sat a black boot, acting entirely innocent.

Harry went through an entire sequence of spells he could think of. It didn't take long for Neville to discover what was amiss with his 500-piece puzzle and Draco had been able to solve the conundrum that was his Chinese puzzle trap within minutes.

It took Ron and even Hermione a lot longer to detect their problems and Harry couldn't help but wonder if Snape had purposely given them the hardest ones to crack. It didn't escape Harry's attention at all that Snape hadn't so much as lifted a finger during this entire class. He was simply standing there, with his arms crossed, nodding occasionally when someone had been able to break their curse. But his eyes kept fluttering back to Harry and it soon became clear that the doll was one of two things. It was either not cursed at all or it was cursed at a level that was far beyond that of a Hogwarts student.

Interesting. So Snape must have realized that Harry had something to do with what had clearly been a bad day.

Eventually, Harry smirked, crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Mr Potter," Snape droned, "Do you give up?"

"Give up?" Harry repeated, "I would never. I simply solved it."

"You solved it," Snape said icily, "And you expect me to believe that? When would you have done that?"

"At the moment you inspected Hermione's boot, sir," Harry replied easily, "That's when it hit me."

Harry fearlessly met his mentor's eyes and felt the subtle push of his Legilimency but Occluded without a problem.

"So pick it up," Snape said, smirking sadistically.

Harry had anticipated this response and already knew exactly how to act. He moved to grab the doll but bumped his desk unceremoniously, causing the doll to fall off. Snape – with reflexes he honed by years of catching glass vials and potion ingredients that found themselves into the clumsy hands of students – caught the doll before it landed and looked at Harry just in time to meet his triumphant smirk.

There was a poof. There was smoke and then, Snape was gone. Harry frowned, not knowing what had happened. Had Snape disappeared? Did he teleport to the amazon forest or something? But then a couple of the girls screeched and jumped on their chairs. Harry leaned over his desk to see a small grass snake slithering on the floor.

"Well, well," he said in parseltongue, "Who knew you would make such a cute snake?"

"Don't jusssssst ssssstand there, brat," the snake hissed. Anyone who didn't speak parseltongue – which was the entire Hogwarts populace minus Harry – would think the snake upset and ready to attack. And perhaps, that wasn't too far from the truth.

"What am I supposed to do even?" Harry asked innocently, "Unfortunately, I'm not too good at curse breaking, and this one seems to be rather high level."

"Blasssssst it all! Jussssst bring me to a Professsssor before I bite you."

"Alright, alright. Don't get your coils in a twist," Harry chuckled, "Come here."

Harry extended his arm and the snake slithered onto his wrist, squeezing so he wouldn't fall off.

"Class dismissed, I guess," Harry said. He waved his wand and got all the cursed objects to float back into the bag which he closed and took with him just in case some poor first grader came in for some reason and saw that awesome soccer ball to play with.

Slytherins and Gryffindors alike laughed heartily at the situation at hand but they quickly made themselves scarce when Snape the snake hissed threateningly.

"This is what you get, you know," Harry chided, "For trying to trick me."

"I did no sssssuch thing," Snape argued, his forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth.

"Oh really?" Harry said, raising a sardonic eyebrow in the same fashion Snape always did. "So you're saying that this curse is on an equal level with the jelly-legs curse you so graciously bestowed on Zabini?"

"You are better than Zzzzzzabini," Snape hissed.

"You know, I could just leave you a snake," Harry said.

"And perhapssss I could cut off the blood cccccirculation to your wrisssssst," Snape replied, squeezing tightly.

"You're a grass snake," Harry chuckled, "You can't do a thing in this state."

"Don't tesssssst me, child," Snape hissed, "I'll have you dicccccing Flobberwormssssss until Chrisssssstmasssss."

"Hey, I'm going, aren't I?" Harry said to the snake, still smiling. The students he encountered in the hallway regarded the pair with either interest or disgust. One lone Hufflepuff boy even took off screaming at the sight.

"Maybe this will get the 'The heir of Slytherin' rumours started again," Harry said. There was only humour in his voice though.

"That'sssss far more acceptable than sssssstudentsssss knowing I've been coiled around your arm," Snape said.

"To you maybe," Harry replied easily, "Well, here we are."

"Brat," Snape hissed shortly, "Find sssssssomeone more capable."

"She's very capable though," Harry replied, "And she's the closest by."

"I refussssssse," Snape said.

"Quite frankly, Severus, you don't have a choice in the matter," Harry said just a tad too happy about the situation. He knocked on the door of the History classroom.

"Come on in," resounded the kind voice of Professor Bell.

Harry opened the door and found Bell sitting at her desk, perusing a book. A stack of sloppily piled books sat atop her desk, some of them with the edges of pieces of parchments sticking out.

"Hi, Harry!" Bell greeted him, "Oh, and who is this? Is this your new pet?"

She placed the book she was reading on top of the pile and moved closer to Harry, leaning forward to get a better look at the snake.

"It's beautiful!" she cooed, "What's his name?"

"Severus," Harry deadpanned.

Bell frowned. "That's a tad formal for a snake, don't you think?"

Harry laughed. "Actually, Professor, this is Severus. He cursed himself when he tried to curse me with an object. I think he's mad at me."

"Nonsssssensssse," Snape hissed, "I tried no sssssuch thing."

Bell just started laughing. "You don't say!" she said, tears running down her cheeks, "How unfortunate of him to pick today of all days to work on curse removal."

"What isssss ssssshe talking about?" Snape hissed.

"I wonder what he's saying," Bell said.

"Remove thisssss curssssse and I ssssshall tell you myssssself?" Snape hissed dangerously.

"Can you remove it?" Harry asked.

"Of course I can, Harry," Bell said easily, "Nothing to it. If you're ready?"

"I think it's time," Harry agreed, "We've had our fun."

Bell nodded and waved her wand elegantly as Harry kneeled to allow Snape to slither unto the ground again. Finally, Bell pointed her wand at Snape and broke the curse non-verbally. When Snape was transformed back into his old body, she crossed her arms and leaned against her desk, smirking triumphantly. Snape's glare was murderous but Bell seemed completely undeterred.

"Will you two finally tell me what's going on before I horribly disembowel one of you?" Snape growled.

"It's only fair!" Bell exclaimed, "You pranked me before. And by Merlin, you got me good."

Snape's gaze softened just a little. Harry thought he was probably the only one who noticed.

"So, I decided to get back at you," Bell continued, "And since Harry helped you with your own ploy, I thought it prudent to have him help _me_ as well."

"Traitor," Snape spat viciously but Harry detected the amusement underneath.

"Oh, just turn around already," Bell said.

"Excuse me?" Snape replied in surprise.

"Turn around," Bell repeated, chuckling as she did. "I'll remove the rune that was applied to your robes."

"You use runes?" Snape asked, but he did turn around which Harry thought was a remarkable sign of trust when faced with someone who Snape's only known for a few months tops. Especially considering how untrustworthy new teachers had often turned out to be.

Bell waved her wand over Snape's robes and revealed a piece of paper that sort of looked like a cut-out stick figure. A strange symbol was drawn on it. It stuck to Snape's robes but Bell peeled it off and showed it to him.

Snape took it from her and ripped it up, a satisfied smirk on his face when he dropped the pieces to the ground.

"And the application was no doubt Harry's rather obvious… theatrics this morning," he said.

"Subtlety does not appear to be a Gryffindor trait," Bell agreed, "But yes indeed. You should be able to add sugar to your own tea again."

"I must say, that was very well played, Bell," Snape said, holding out his hand.

"Glad to be considered a worthy adversary, Snape" Bell replied, shaking the offered hand.

"Oh, we'll have to see about that," Snape said mysteriously.

"Bring it," Bell said, tilting her head in mock defiance.

It was not entirely on the same level as three first graders bringing down a troll together, but Harry sensed that this too might be the start of a new friendship. Even if it seemed to be a bit of a rivalry.

* * *

Saturday morning was upon them fast as it always was when the week was interesting. And this year, every week was interesting.

Snape had gotten up early – as was his habit – but had not seen Harry appear at breakfast. It wasn't entirely strange to see. Nothing short of Quidditch practice could wake the boy up before ten in the weekend. In fact, of the golden trio, only Granger was eating breakfast at a respectable hour, chatting amicably with the Weasley girl over a piece of toast.

Snape had gotten a very interesting message earlier that week. He looked over the letter he had been sent with hungry eyes.

_Professor Snape,_

_You've asked me to inform you before anyone else when I received a lump of painite. It is rather small, for which I apologize but as you know, the jewel is rather rare. _

_If you are still interested, I request you to send me a reply at your earliest convenience. I would expect to have the painite in stock on Saturday. If you can't come by that day, I'll be forced to sell it. It would be too much of a liability to have lying around in the shop you see._

_Yours,_

_P. Pippin_

It had been years since Snape had asked the man to alert him should the rare jewel ever arrive. Frankly, he had started to think that he had been forgotten. But the letter had finally come and Snape could not hide his excitement.

"What are you so happy about?" Maya asked, nudging Snape slightly. "You're practically salivating over that letter. Got some hot admirer?"

Snape snorted. "Nothing of the sort, Maya, I've just been invited to pick up some painite back in the apothecary in Hogsmeade."

"Amazing!" Maya replied, "I've never actually seen it but I've heard it's really beautiful."

"I don't need it for its beauty," Snape said, "I need it for its function."

"Always the practical man, aren't you?" Maya teased, "Could you show me the jewel though? Before you splinter it into dust or whatever you do with it."

"If that appeases your appetite for shiny things, let it be so." Snape complied.

So it was that after breakfast, Maya and Snape both walked to Hogsmeade. Snape in silence, and Maya making remarks about every unremarkable thing they encountered on the way, much to Snape's annoyance.

"Would you kindly refrain from making any more observations about the surrounding area?" Snape asked coldly, "I am very much aware of its structure and contents, thank you very much."

"What are you so grumpy about?" Maya asked, "I thought this was a happy day for you."

"I wish to get to Hogsmeade sooner rather than later," Snape replied, "And your dilly-dallying makes that sufficiently challenging."

"Oh, you're such a killjoy," Maya chided, "Fine. First, we get your precious stone and then we cherish the view."

Snape sighed. "Or _you_ cherish the view and _I_ keep on walking.

"I could get _lost_," Maya pointed out in mock horror.

Snape smirked ever so slightly, "Sleeping here might give you the insight in the area that you seem to want to know more about. I'm merely granting you the opportunity."

"Just go and get your stone already," Maya huffed as they arrived in Hogsmeade, "We don't have all day."

Snape rolled his eyes and walked into the apothecary, walking straight over to the counter to meet Mr Pippin. The old man almost seemed shocked to see Snape there. He was sweating profusely and had a guilty look on his face.

"Don't tell me you've already sold it," Snape grunted, "We had a deal."

"I'm so sorry, Professor Snape," Pippin said, "I had no choice. They have my daughter."

Before Snape could reply, he felt the presence of several people behind him. He whirled around, wand already in hand to come face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband.

"Hello Sevvie!" she greeted, "Out on a date, are you?" She inclined her head towards the other end of the shop where Greyback had grabbed hold of Maya's arm and was sniffing her intently. Maya slapped the werewolf in the face but the man did not relent.

"Why don't you come with us, right now?" Bella asked, "And we won't hurt your new toy."

"Oh, come off it, Bitch!" Maya hollered, "Who do you even think you are? You Death eater rejects!" This time, she elbowed Greyback in the solar plexus and forced her wrist towards the gap between Greyback's fingers and thumb as she shifted her weight, effectively removing herself from his grasp.

"Get out of here," Snape yelled.

"I don't think so," Maya said sternly, brandishing her wand.

"Fool," Snape muttered. He pointed his wand at her and the history teacher was blasted out of the shop, leaving no one but Snape, the four death eaters and Mr Pippin in the apothecary.

Snape's wand arm was grabbed from behind by a strong hand, the limb twisted painfully behind his back.

"Let's go on a trip, shall we?" Bellatrix said sweetly and with the loud cackle of her sick laughter, the five death eaters disappeared with the sounds of a car back-firing.

* * *

_My dear readers. Today, the games pokemon sword and shield were released and I will be playing them. Don't expect to hear from me anytime soon. give it a week or so, I would say. I wrote this chapter yesterday to set you all up with a cliffhanger to enjoy._

_So, I can only ask you to review and perhaps I will show mercy._

_Haha, thanks for reading in any case._


	13. Chapter 13

I finished the game and I am back in business! I hope you all don't consider me too evil. I wasn't gone that long, really. Well, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13**

It only took a few seconds for Snape to determine just how much trouble he was in. They had landed in a clearing in the middle of a forest. On impact, Rabastan had immediately snatched Snape's wand away from him, releasing his arm when it posed no more threat. Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Greyback had joined instantly after Snape's forced side-along apparition. To his dismay, a young girl – not even old enough to be attending Hogwarts yet – lay on the ground a few feet away. She was not dead but she lay very still, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. She was not bound but then again, that hadn't been necessary by the looks of it.

Carefully, he eyed his former colleagues, trying to find an opening. Perhaps he could figure out their plans for him and perhaps he could still get out of here. If he was fortunate enough, he would be able to take that girl with him as well. When his eyes met Bellatrix', she grinned maliciously.

"Aww, don't look at me like that, Sevvie," she teased as she wiggled her index finger in front of his face. "I know what you're thinking! Dear old Bella must be involving me in some nefarious scheme! If I can figure out what that is, I can still escape." She laughed at her own deduction. "But alas, Snape," she spat, "My goal today is nothing but your pain and death. Except maybe to lure that Potter boy to your rescue just in time to see you die."

"There's no way he would come willingly," Snape growled, his eyes darting around the scenery. Perhaps if he found a large branch or sufficiently big rock, he could get rid of at least one of his four adversaries. Perhaps even two, if he took advantage of the stunned confusion that would surely follow."

"Oh, please," Rodolphus said, "You seem to be forgetting that the boy has a Gryffindor heart. Have you already forgotten how readily he charged into danger to try and save that godfather of his? I have no doubt he would do it again."

Snape's heart clenched tightly in his chest. Of course Rodolphus was right, and of course, Snape knew this. He had only hoped that this band of randomized death eaters might not be intelligent enough to solve a crossword puzzle together, let alone understand what was in Harry's mind.

Maybe a change of subject would leave them all sufficiently distracted. "I take it that it was the four of you who were behind the muggle attacks?" he asked smoothly, taking a few steps away from Rabastan. The man did not follow. Yet.

"But of course!" Bellatrix replied, "It was all in good fun really. And when Rookwood let slip that even those filthy muggles were celebrating the Dark Lord's unfortunate death – a brilliant man of whom they knew nothing! – I just couldn't control myself."

Snape frowned. "Rookwood is behind all this?" he asked. If that was the case, Snape was in even more trouble than he had already realized.

"No," Bellatrix said in annoyance, "But he cares enough about the wellbeing of his brothers and sisters in arms to stop by every now and then. Unlike some _traitors_." Her eyes glinted menacingly.

Snape took another step towards a rock he had spotted. Its edges seemed delightfully sharp. He might even be able to throw it to save himself some precious seconds. If his aim was true, perhaps he could even kill.

"You realize he's playing you, right?" Snape said casually, "There's no other reason for him to still come and find you."

"You're the only one here who plays those sorts of games, Sevvie," Bellatrix cooed. Snape suppressed a snort. How daft was she really?

"Tell me, Snape," Rodolphus now said, '"Had you always been planning to betray the Dark Lord or was it a spur of the moment thing?"

"You must think very little of me to even entertain the thought of me being so impetuous," Snape replied easily. "I was never his. Everything I did was for the light."

"So instead of the Dark Lord's servant, you were Dumbledore's," Rodolphus continued, "Not a very big difference is there?"

"I don't think you will ever understand," Snape sneered, "since the four of you clearly enjoy torture and murder." He gestured towards the little girl angrily.

"Oh, _her_," Bellatrix said, as if she was only now reminded of the crumpled heap of human that she had no doubt positioned there herself. She turned towards the girl and Snape took his shot. He picked up the rock which was now located near his right foot and drew back his hand, ready to throw the blasted thing at Bellatrix' snide face.

"_Crucio_!"

Snape's body spasmed in pain he hadn't felt in a very long time but had never quite forgotten. His legs were suddenly unable to carry his weight anymore and his knees buckled, dropping him to the ground. He was only vaguely aware of the sound of his own screams. The feeling of his nerve ends burning with all the pain of a fourth-degree burn was more of a priority to his mind. His legs contorted beneath him and unwillingly, his body curled up on itself.

And then it stopped. A small trickle of blood made it past Snape's lips and he realized he had bitten the inside of his cheek at some point. He panted and tried to push himself upright again on trembling arms but a heavy foot positioned itself on Snape's back and pushed him back down.

"You didn't really think you would be able to lay a finger on any of us, did you?" Snarled Greyback. "In case you've forgotten how to count, there's four of us and only one of you."

Snape laughed bitterly. "It would appear that it's not me who has forgotten how to count."

His blurry vision was starting to become clearer when he noticed that Bellatrix sat hunched in front of him.

"Oh?" she said, "Are you delusional enough to think anyone is close by enough to help you out? Or did you think that this girl was going to throw a surprise killing curse at one of us?"

"It's the four of you – well, I suppose five if you count Rookwood – against everyone else. That's why you're skulking around like rats, isn't it? _That's_ why you pick off muggles instead of lashing out at the wizarding world. Because you have no one left and all you can do is run. I know that you know this."

"My dear old friend," Bellatrix purred. She took out her wand and moved it slowly along Snape's cheek, a deep cut appearing as she moved. "You can try to provoke me into killing you all you want but it won't work. You see, while I do want you dead, I have longed to cause you a great deal of pain for a very long time."

Snape scowled at her, not allowing himself to react to the fresh wound being inflicted to his face. He could feel the blood trickle down his neck and could smell copper.

"It's an honour to be the most important object of your thoughts, Bella." Snape drawled, "Though I do realize just how infrequent a thought is able to occupy your diseased mind, it's still quite the compliment."

"Don't talk to her like that," Rodolphus growled, punching Snape square in the face. Snape glared icily at the man.

"What's this, Rodolphus?" he asked snidely, "Protecting your wife? Why, last I remembered, you were talking about how insane she was and how you wish she would just get herself killed already."

"That's not – He's lying, my love!" Rodolphus said panic-stricken.

"Am I?" Snape smirked, "Just peer into his mind and you will see that I'm correct."

Bellatrix smiled sweetly down at Snape and twirled her wand in her hand. A sign of uncertainty, Snape knew. "He's just trying to bring a wedge between us, pet," Bellatrix said evenly, "Rookwood warned us about this."

"You've certainly traded in for a new 'Dark Lord' rather quickly, dear Bella," Snape purred, "You must not have truly loved Voldemort very much."

Snape knew he was pushing it but was still surprised when Bellatrix' boot connected firmly with his jaw, sending him sprawling once more.

"Don't you _dare_ speak his name!" Bellatrix roared, "Don't you _dare_ talk about him. You shouldn't even be _thinking_ about him after what you've done."

Snape's jaw ached terribly but he ignored the urge to bring up his hand. He wanted to show as little weakness as possible.

"I loved him more than anything," Bellatrix continued, "He was my world and you and that Potter child tore him away from me. I can never forgive you for that!"

"Oh, that poor husband of yours," Snape said, trying his best to nor slur his words because of his aching jaw. "It's no wonder he sought a way out."

The satisfaction that came over Snape when he saw the flash of anger in Rodolphus' eyes helped alleviate the pain a little bit. Especially when he realized that the anger was not entirely meant for him.

"Have you noticed, Rodolphus," Snape continued, "That while _you_ call her _love_, _she_ calls you _pet_? It is a rather telling sign of what you mean to her, is it not? Tell me, do you believe yourself above or below the werewolf when it comes to rank?"

"That is enough out of you!" Greyback suddenly roared. He picked Snape up as easily as he would a rag doll and slammed him into a tree. Snape managed to allow himself only a grunt.

"You. Talk. Too. Much," Greyback spat word for word, allowing a pause between each one to let his fist collide with Snape's face. The third or fourth one definitely broke Snape's nose and he found himself appreciative of the werewolf's lacking vocabulary.

Snape spat out the blood that filled his mouth, already partially seeping through his lips and turned his determined gaze on Greyback.

"She's using you, you know," he grunted with more difficulty than he cared to admit.

"One more word and I will tear your lips off with my teeth," Greyback hissed.

Snape knew that the werewolf was not kidding and wisely shut his mouth. They stared at each other for a few more seconds before Greyback released Snape, allowing him to fall to the floor and turned his back on him.

"I suggest you do something about that mouth, Bella," Greyback growled, "Before he sways one of them –" he inclined his head meaningfully towards the Lestrange brothers "- to betray you."

"You're right, of course," Bellatrix admitted, "Though I do so love to hear him scream. How about one more Crucio and _then_ I seal those lips?"

"You're the boss," Greyback shrugged.

Bellatrix laughed gleefully and pointed her wand squarely at Snape's chest. The Potions Master braced himself but couldn't stop himself from screaming through the agonizing curse that took hold of his body. He wrapped his arms around himself to try and stop them from flailing but Bellatrix didn't release the curse until they did.

When she had gratified her sadistic urges, Bellatrix kneeled before Snape and cupped his chin gently with her left hand. Snape wanted to slap it away but could barely lift a finger. Instead, he groaned.

"Hush now," Bellatrix said gently, "It will all be over soon. For today anyway. We still need to alert a certain somebody to your whereabouts."

Before Snape could react, Bellatrix leaned forward and kissed him long and hard. When she pulled back, her mouth was smeared with his blood. She licked her lips in delight and Snape had to do his best not to empty his stomach.

"Suturis," Bella whispered.

Snape thought he couldn't move anymore. He had been convinced that his body had been broken and that he would be unable to react to any more torture that day.

He realized just how wrong he was when he felt the invisible needle impale his lips up and down, up and down, until a magical thread sealed his mouth shut. His brain screamed at him, telling him to stop the agony however he could and soon he found himself scratching at his face, attempting to stop what he knew he could not.

And Bellatrix had taken her sweet time, that sadistic witch. She relished in Snape's agony as was evident by the ecstasy on her face.

When she was finished, she took out what seemed to be a chipped cup and held it under Snape's chin, gathering some of the blood that was dripping down at an unsteady pace. Soon, the hand she used to hold Snape's face in place was covered by the red substance but she clearly couldn't care less.

"You'll have to forgive me," she said when she saw Snape's cold stare. "But we don't exactly have any inkwells in this forest. Your blood should do nicely though. Did you have anything you wanted me to tell Potter?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and glared to the best of his abilities.

"Oh, you want me to tell him to come to rescue you?" Bellatrix said in mock pity, "Don't you worry. I'll tell him you said just that."

Snape would've lunged forward had his body not been so heavy but even if he could have done just that, it would've amounted to nothing.

"Rabastan, watch the prisoner," Bellatrix ordered, "I have a message to write, and I don't want to be disturbed by any moaning or flailing."

"Yes, Bella," Rabastan agreed flatly. The witch disappeared out of sight, followed on her heels by Greyback. Rodolphus occupied himself by staring at the small girl that still lay motionless on the floor. Snape shook his head in dismay. The monsters.

"You don't know what it's like out here," Rabastan told him. Snape glared at the man.

"You were regarded a hero because you were on the right side of history," Rabastan continued, "And we now hide away like common thieves, scrounging up food wherever we can."

Snape grunted and inclined his head towards the girl. Rabastan followed his gaze and grimaced.

"One would say she was a necessary evil," Rabastan said after a while, "Others would say that luring you into a trap was not necessary at the least but simply a dangerous act to get revenge on you."

Snape nodded in agreement to the second.

"It's not like I have that much choice, you know," Rabastan said quietly, "I know what I can do and surviving on my own out here is not it. It's either this life or Azkaban – oh don't look at me like that. Azkaban would be infinitely worse."

Rodolphus glared their way before moving to the campfire, throwing in some more wood.

"You're right about one thing though," Rabastan shared willingly, "Rodolphus does not like to be around his loving _wife_ at all. She's insane."

Snape couldn't help but wonder why the man next to him was spilling thoughts as if he drank Veritaserum and questions were asked that only he could hear. On the other hand, perhaps he needed a sounding board and what better use was a man whose lips were literally sealed.

"One day she'll kill us," Rabastan continued, "I know that. I'm not stupid. She'll get me first. Probably after I disagree with her on something stupid. She'll have had enough and she'll kill me. I can only hope it will be painless. As for my brother – well – that all depends. If he reacts too strongly to my death she'll kill him right after. Otherwise, it'll probably be a few months. Unless he escapes before that time."

Snape couldn't help himself. He shot Rabastan an incredulous look that he normally saved to stare at the work of his most dunderheaded students.

"Oh, and where would I go if I ran now?" Rabastan answered his unspoken question. "Go to Rookwood? He doesn't want company and quite frankly, he uses people."

Snape glanced at the little girl and back at Rabastan.

"Yes, Bella uses people as well. I know!" Rabastan replied. The volume in his voice was increasing and Snape became worried that Bellatrix might hear him. "But at least _she's_ upfront about it. There are never any surprises. She means what she says and her orders are straightforward."

Snape tried to smirk but found that he couldn't. Pain was his only response to the attempted curling of his lips. He suppressed a groan and tried to move himself into a better position. Rabastan regarded him carefully.

"You look pathetic," he said, "You know that, right?"

Snape rolled his eyes. What had they expected cornering him four against one? He didn't know what Rabastan was trying to provoke with his childish taunting but he should realize that Snape was unable to answer, even if he wanted to. So Snape motioned across his mouth and looked darkly at Rabastan.

"I know you can't speak," Rabastan said, "That question was rhetorical, you know."

He eyed Snape again and added: "Something tells me that the old Severus Snape would never have allowed himself to be ambushed like that. Have you gone soft or simply careless?"

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. _That_ question was definitely _not_ rhetorical.

"A bit of both, I suppose," Rabastan answered for him, "That's what you get when you're lounging about the impenetrable safety of Hogwarts. You have a warm bed to sleep on, good food on your table morning, noon and evening and you even have company that doesn't look at you as if you were a cockroach."

Snape snorted at that last addition. Perhaps not anymore but once most of his colleagues had regarded him exactly so. Now only a very small minority still did. And even that seemed to be ebbing away with every time Snape went to watch one of Harry's matches; every time someone caught him looking at the boy with a sense of pride. Maybe he _had_ gone soft.

"Well, if you do it's your own fault entirely," Rabastan said, "You don't exactly have the most pleasant personality. It's really off-putting."

Snape frowned at the man in front of him. _That_ was certainly a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

"Don't give me that look," Rabastan chided, "I didn't lay a hand on you except to bring you here. Nor did I torture that little girl. I don't relish in violence the way Bella and Greyback do. For a long time, people actually found my company rather delightful."

Snape snorted again.

"Don't laugh," Rabastan said, "It's true. But now – well – when you walk with trash, you end up smelling the same."

Snape nodded solemnly. This was good. He could use this. Rabastan clearly wanted out of this little arrangement. If only he could speak, he would be able to offer terms. He could offer to talk to Dumbledore about granting them clemency. Not that the old man would be able to hold off the righteous judgement that hung over their heads quite like the sword of Damocles, but Rabastan didn't need to know that.

Snape grabbed a twig and started writing in the sand.

_I could help you._

Rabastan laughed heartily as if Snape had just told him a hilarious joke. But the glint in his eyes had been unmistakable. Snape erased the sentence and looked at Rabastan expectantly.

"And how would you be able to help me?" Rabastan said softly, "Not to mention, why?"

Snape exhaled strongly through his nose in exasperation with being asked two questions at once and picked up his twig once more.

He wrote a number one in the sand with next to it the word '_Dumbledore'_ and below that he wrote the number two and next to _that_ the word _self-preservation_. He then looked up meaningfully.

"If self-preservation had been anywhere on your list of personal goals, you would have never become a spy," Rabastan noted cleverly, "What changed?"

Snape erased his previous writing and wrote '_Harry'_.

"You have got to be kidding me," Rabastan sighed, "You loathed the boy so strongly for all those years but now you would help me stay out of Azkaban for his sake? It must be a cold day in hell."

Snape erased Harry's name from the sand and fixed Rabastan with a piercing glare as if to say '_well_?'

Rabastan seemed to be in doubt but shook his head. "Let me think on it Snape," he said, "For one, I don't think I could leave my brother behind. If I disappeared, Bella would surely kill him in her rage."

More would have been said but Bella re-emerged from the trees, with Greyback on her heels. Privately, Snape wondered if they had been doing more than letter-writing in the thicket but quickly erased that vile thought from his mind.

"Oh, Snape, isn't this delicious?" Bella said, "By tomorrow, I am sure we will have Harry Potter in our grasp to suffer as much as you will. Surely, you're looking forward to his company?"

A deep noise crawled its way up Snape's throat. No words could be distinguished but the threat was clear. Bella simply laughed.

"Do you honestly think you scare me?" she said, "That you scare any of us? You are a dead man, Snape. You just don't know it yet."

She whistled once and a large barn owl swooped down, landing on a low-hanging branch in Bellatrix' reach. It proudly extended its foot and she gleefully tied the letter to it.

"Bring this to Harry Potter," she ordered. The owl hooted once and flew up, its strong, wide wings carrying it across the sky in a swift manner.

"Don't worry, Sevvie!" Bellatrix said when the owl had disappeared from sight, "We have not forgotten about you. In fact, we have cleared our busy schedule just to have a bit of fun with you."

Snape narrowed his eyes at the disturbing woman in front of him, his decorum not faltering when she revealed a large knife.

"Now, what fingers would you mind losing the least?"

* * *

Harry had had a very confusing day, yesterday. He had known that Snape was out buying potions ingredients with Professor Bell but neither of them had returned yet. And sure, it had been a Saturday, so there wasn't really a reason for either of them to be back on time but this was very uncharacteristic for Snape.

What was even more confusing, was the message he had received on his cuff around three in the morning. It had nearly disappeared by the time he was awake enough to understand what was happening but he had still been able to make out the words.

'_Ignore the letter you will get this morning. Do not test me on this.'_

The penmanship had obviously been Snape's even if it had been less neat than usual. Perhaps a side-effect from writing a message in the middle of the night. Maybe Snape had indulged in too much fire whiskey. Perhaps, he had sent Harry an embarrassing message that he didn't want repeated.

He hadn't even bothered writing anything back because he was too tired but now – as he sat down at breakfast, noticing that Snape was still not here – he wrote him a message.

'_Where are you? And where is Professor Bell?'_

Ten minutes later, he still hadn't gotten a reply so he just shrugged and dug into his breakfast. There were croissants today.

The answer to Professor Bell's whereabouts was answered at that moment. She barged into the great hall, looking severely dishevelled as she hurriedly made her way to the high table, not even regarding Harry with a passing glance.

Harry watched her approach Dumbledore, whispering hurriedly with her head bowed closer to his. Curious and slightly worried as he was, his attention was soon disturbed when a large barn owl landed right next to his plate and extended his foot. Glancing at the high table once more, Harry removed the attached letter and absentmindedly shoved some bacon and eggs towards the owl. He opened the scroll and gasped slightly when he saw that the message was written in blood.

"Everything alright, Harry?" came the familiar drawl of a certain Slytherin blonde. Ron and Hermione weren't down yet seeing how it was Sunday, but Draco never skipped breakfast. "Wait, is that –"

"I think so," Harry frowned, allowing his eyes to scan the parchment as his expression grew darker.

_My dear Potty,_

_I would like to cordially invite you to a party that I know you can't wait to attend. Sevvie – for one – is simply dying to see you. Quite literally in fact! I'm sure you wouldn't want to prolong his agony so I want you to come to Hogsmeade as soon as you can. One of my party guests will be there to pick you up! If you want to bring a plus one, you are welcome to. A girlfriend perhaps? The more, the merrier! Just don't bring anyone over the age of twenty. We have enough of those already, you see. If you do, my guest will be forced to leave prematurely and will not come back until the next day._

_Since you will be dearly missed if you refuse to show up, we will send you a present every day. We simply can't carry on without you, you know? Today, you will have to be satisfied with the blood Sevvie has quite unwillingly provided to write this letter with. Tomorrow, I think I might send you a finger._

_Don't run late! We might run out of body parts if you do._

_With much love,_

_Bellatrix Lestrange._

* * *

Might I kindly ask you lot to provide me with some reviews? It would be much appreciated, you see. I'm anxious to see what you think and yes, I know. I'm evil for this new cliffhanger. The next one won't end on one, I promise!


	14. Chapter 14

Thank you all so much for your reviews! To answer a question many of you have asked over the course of a week. Yes, I'm evil. I hope you like this next chapter because I personally love it.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Harry's eyes widened considerably at the sadistic message he received. His heart clenched painfully and instinctively, his gaze shifted to the high table where he met the headmaster's gaze. He quickly looked away, remembering Bellatrix' warning and turned to Draco.

"Harry," he said softly, "What are you going to do about this?"

"I have to go, of course," Harry replied determinedly, "I'm not about to let those cruel bastards hurt Snape anymore than they already have."

Harry got up from his seat and made to leave when Draco grabbed his arm.

"Would you stop and think?" he hissed, "Or is it not obvious enough that you're walking right into a trap?"

"Of course it is!" Harry shouted, "But what do you expect me to do about this? I can't very well just sit here."

"Typical Gryffindor," Draco spat. Harry pulled his arm free and tried to leave again when Draco moved in front of him. "Look," he said, holding out his hand, "I know you have to go. I understand! But I'm going with you."

"Absolutely not," Harry responded, "As you said, this is clearly a trap and I'm not putting anyone else in danger."

"Is everything alright, Harry?" came Dumbledore's sudden voice. Harry looked up and stopped himself from meeting Dumbledore's gaze just in time. He wasn't about to allow Dumbledore a peak in his mind, especially when he was undoubtedly too emotional to block him.

"No," he said honestly, "Severus hasn't returned and now Professor Bell comes back without him. What am I supposed to think?"

"Severus seems to have been taken but we will sort this out," Dumbledore said, "I will help him, this I promise."

"How?" Harry asked. This time, his eyes sought Dumbledore's in desperation but he didn't feel the tell-tale sign of a Legilimens in his mind. "You don't even know where he is."

"I will work something out," Dumbledore said, placing a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry noticed that Draco was looking back and forth between Harry and Dumbledore as if looking for a sign as to what to do or say but he didn't speak a word.

"Fine," Harry said. He turned around and walked away brusquely with Draco on his tail, leaving a concerned Dumbledore in his wake.

"Harry," Draco urged again, "We need a plan."

"There is no 'we' Draco," Harry said sternly, "I'm going alone and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Oh, isn't there?" Draco said slyly, "I'm going _with_ you and there's nothing _you_ can do to stop _me_."

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry snarled, his wand raised in the blink of an eye. But Draco was not bad himself. He had raised a shield just in time to protect himself and the spell fell flat.

"You imbecile," Draco growled, "Would you stop for just a few minutes to think about what you're doing?"

"And what happens to Severus in those minutes?" Harry asked as he kept walking, "You've experienced the Cruciatus curse, you know what a few minutes of that feels like."

This time, Draco grabbed hold of Harry's shoulders and whirled him around, forcing the distraught Gryffindor to look at him.

"You're only going to get yourself killed at this rate," Draco said in exasperation, "Do you believe – even for a second – that they're going to let Severus go the minute you show up?"

"It's me they really want," Harry replied evenly.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself," Draco spat, "You're the boy-who-lived, that's true. But Snape is a traitor in their eyes. Not only that, but he was also a big part of the Dark Lord's demise." He sighed without releasing Harry and glanced towards the door they had just used to get out.

"I think you should tell Dumbledore. He will probably know what to do."

"If whoever is waiting for me sees Dumbledore, they will leave," Harry said, "I don't want to be responsible for Severus losing any fingers. He'll never forgive me for that."

"He would forgive you anything!" Draco replied harshly, "Especially the things that aren't your fault."

Harry shrugged himself loose but didn't continue walking. His desperate and forlorn expression now locked onto Draco's, seeking refuge in the calm and certain expression Draco wore.

"What do I do?" he asked, sounding very much lost.

Draco smiled slightly and casually sat down on the front steps, patting the space next to him for Harry to sit on.

"Let's figure that out," Draco said. Harry obediently sat next to the blonde and put his head in his hands, looking absolutely distressed.

"First of all," Draco said, "Stop worrying so much. Yes, Bellatrix is batshit crazy but Snape has been in these kinds of situations often enough. Not only does he know how to get out of them, he is also perfectly capable of ignoring the pain."

"I don't want him to have to, though," Harry frowned, "Those days are supposed to be behind us. Why is it always us?"

"It's not," Draco replied, "They went after a whole bunch of muggles first."

Harry didn't know what to reply to that so he just nodded dejectedly.

"Now. We know that Bellatrix is among the group. She's dangerous but predictable. It's highly unlikely that she has some scheme going on that's multi-layered and complicated. The problem is that she's probably not alone."

"No," Harry agreed, "There's at least one more death eater among her group. That guest she was speaking of."

"Exactly," Draco said, "Not only that but if I believe the articles written about the slaughter of those muggles – as it has been portrayed in many different newspapers – I can honestly say that Greyback is probably among them as well."

"How can you tell?" Harry asked.

"Once you have seen the way Greyback works, you can recognize it immediately," Draco responded darkly. "However, I very much doubt that even Bellatrix is stupid enough to send Greyback out into Hogsmeade. The man has no self-control and would be a liability. Chances are that if he – for example – saw Dumbledore emerge, that he would sooner attack than retreat as Bellatrix promised they would do. Therefore, I think it's safe to conclude that there's at least three of them.

"That puts us at a disadvantage," Harry said.

"I should say so," Draco agreed, "Especially since Snape has no doubt been disarmed. That's why I think we should bring an extra wand for him to use just in case we can manage to slip it to him."

"Where are we going to find one?" Harry asked.

"I'll swipe one from the firsties," Draco said dutifully.

"As for Dumbledore," Draco then said, "Do we have any Polyjuice lying around here, perchance."

Harry was very much aware of the stock and inventory of both the school's potions and those of Snape. At home, he might have some but here at Hogwarts he most decidedly didn't. So he shook his head.

"That's a shame," Draco said, "And we can't very well wait a month to brew some. So I guess you're right and that we can't ask Dumbledore for help. Would you be open to asking Professor Bell what happened, though? It would save us the time of asking around."

"I guess that's not a bad idea," Harry admitted, "We just can't tell her what we're doing."

"Maybe not yet," Draco agreed, "I would, however, advise you to let Dumbledore know what we're doing before we actually meet up with this death eater, at least. Maybe you can send a Patronus his way once we're ready to go? I know you can cast that modification that allows for communication."

"I can do that," Harry said, "It should give us enough time."

"Okay, so that's settled then," Draco said, "I'm going to get myself an extra wand and afterwards, we'll go talk to Bell."

"Or I do that while you go get that wand," Harry offered, wanting to waste as little time as possible.

"I could recognize our opponents from her description if it's good enough," Draco explained, "You could probably not."

Harry growled under his breath, knowing that Draco was right.

"Fine," he said, "But hurry up, okay?"

Without another word, Draco darted across the hallway, heading to the dungeons. For a moment, Harry considered going by himself, after all, leaving Draco safe at Hogwarts but he knew that he needed the blonde's help. Especially if he wanted to get both him and Snape out of there alive.

Frustrated with his own lack of cunning, Harry crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for Draco's speedy return. Before the Slytherin could, though, Professor Bell exited the great hall and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Harry.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing? Are you waiting for someone?"

Harry uncrossed his arms and met Bell's worried gaze.

"Yeah," he admitted, "I'm waiting for Draco."

"Well, while I have you here, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

"What for, Professor?"

"For letting them – wait, do you even know what happened?"

"No, I don't," Harry admitted, "I would appreciate it if you could tell me when Draco gets here though. He's Professor Snape's godson and is also very worried about him."

"Of course," she said.

They stood in awkward silence for about ten minutes, waiting for the Slytherin to return. Harry noticed that Bell was injured. Nothing too bad but she sported a fairly large bruise near her collarbone and she had a nasty cut above her right eye.

"I'm back," Draco announced, drawing Harry out of his thoughts. "Oh, Professor," he added.

"Mr Malfoy," Bell greeted courteously, "I thought it would be fair of me to tell you both what happened back in Hogsmeade."

"That would be appreciated," Draco replied. Harry looked at her expectantly.

"We were going to the apothecary, you see," she said, "To pick up some rare ingredient but it soon became clear that Mr Pippin did not, in fact, have the jewel but had lured Professor Snape into a trap."

She swallowed thickly and frowned as she continued. "Anyone would recognise Bellatrix Lestrange from the papers," she said softly, "As well as that foul werewolf, Greyback. There were two others whom I didn't recognize. Greyback grabbed me but I managed to escape him. I wanted to help. I really did! But Sev – Professor Snape basically threw me out of the apothecary. By the time I was able to rush back inside, they were gone."

"It was not your fault, Professor," Harry said.

Bell smiled at him wryly. "Thank you, Harry, but I can't help but feel somewhat responsible. Perhaps if Severus hadn't taken the time to get me out of harm's way, he would have been able to save himself."

"Not from four death eaters," Harry said softly, "Not when they had planned for this so obviously."

Harry took a shuddering breath, clenching his fists tightly. He had shopped at Mr Pippin's often and had always thought the man to be kind and respectful. How could he have betrayed Snape like that?

"Did Mr Pippin say why he did what he did?" Harry asked softly, anger obvious in his voice.

"His daughter was taken," Bell replied darkly, "He was promised her return after tricking Snape but by the time I left, they still hadn't."

"Oh, Merlin," Harry groaned, "What is wrong with those people?"

"Could you describe the two death eaters you didn't recognize?" Draco asked.

"One was a tall, thickset man with very dark hair," Bell replied, "And the other man was quite thin, the same dark hair as the other."

"The Lestrange brothers," Draco hissed, "That makes sense, I guess. Rodolphus is married to Bellatrix, after all."

"What a fool," Harry spat.

"Yeah well, they all are," Draco said. "Thanks for the information, Professor."

"I just know that professor Dumbledore will find him," Bell said encouragingly. Harry thought she might even be believing her own words and he was not about to disillusion her of that notion.

"Yes," he replied, "He will."

Bell nodded, glanced over Draco and Harry one last time and hurried back inside the great hall, no doubt to talk with Dumbledore some more.

"Get your invisibility cloak and we can be off," Draco said.

"They are expecting me, you know," Harry replied flatly.

"Not for you, you dunce," Draco spat, "For me. Whatever advantage we can get, we should take, don't you think?"

"You're right, of course," Harry said, "I'm sorry. I'm not thinking straight. I'm just so –"

"I'm worried as well," Draco interjected, "But we can do this. Get your cloak and meet me outside the castle. Someone is bound to ask questions if I linger here."

"Right," Harry nodded and went to retrieve his cloak.

* * *

Amazingly enough, Ron had still been asleep. So all Harry had to do was not make any noise and get his invisibility cloak out of his trunk. Luck must've been on his side because the redhead merely turned around in his sleep, chewing on his pillow as he mumbled something incoherently.

Hermione had not been around either so Harry had quickly made his way back out of the tower and down to the castle gates.

When he met Draco's gaze, the two boys nodded to each other in understanding and Harry handed over his cloak.

"I think it's best that I wear it immediately," Draco said, "We can't know just where our escort will be and from how far away they can see our approach. I'll keep a hand on your shoulder at all times so I am apparated with you, even if it should happen suddenly.

"Sounds like a plan," Harry replied shortly. He was quite sick of talking already. The thought of Snape in more pain with every precious second they were wasting, made him physically ill. As soon as he felt Draco's hand on his shoulder, he started walking. Neither of them said another word until they reached Hogsmeade.

Before they entered the town, Harry dutifully cast his Patronus and told it to tell Dumbledore that he and Draco were going to save Snape and to perhaps have some medical attention at the ready in Hogsmeade.

Harry heard Draco take a deep breath as if the boy was steeling himself for what was to come. The hand on his shoulder was trembling slightly but Harry could not blame the boy. He was pretty nervous himself.

In a flash, Snape's warning to just ignore the letter flashed through Harry's mind and he chuckled wryly to himself. Hopefully, they would both be able to get out of there alive enough for Harry to take his punishment in stride.

A slight shove from behind him urged Harry to keep on walking. The boy looked around, half expecting to be jumped at any moment but saw no one.

"Harry!" came a sudden jovial voice that Harry didn't recognize. He looked to his right to see a thin man with dark hair approaching him with a big grin on his face. Draco's hand tightened on his shoulder, warning Harry of the presence of the death eater.

"So good of you to come," the man said happily, "Follow me if you please."

Harry didn't say a word but followed the man into a narrow alleyway that seemed to be completely deserted.

"You didn't bring a plus one?" the man asked and Harry thought he saw disappointment in his eyes. Fewer people for him to torture and kill, he supposed.

"Well, I'm Rabastan and I will be your escort today." He elegantly extended his arm towards Harry who took it without a doubt in his mind. The only thought that went through his head was that it was rather odd for the death eater not to take away his wand but he counted his blessings and just went with it.

The feeling of being sucked through a narrow tube was one he would never be able to get used to. He felt the hand on his shoulder grasp him very firmly and was very relieved when his feet finally met with solid ground.

The first thing he heard was the same maniacal cackle he had heard the night Sirius was killed. It made him want to just walk up to the witch it originated from and snap her neck just to shut her up.

Instead, he stood calm and collected, awaiting what would happen next. Draco had let go of Harry's shoulder and his presence had gone away. Wherever the boy had skulked off to, Harry didn't know. But he trusted in Draco's abilities.

"Hello, Potty!" Bellatrix greeted cheerfully, "So nice of you to join the party! I was wondering if you would show up today."

Harry glared at her darkly before allowing his gaze to roam across the area. Right next to him stood Rabastan who had been kind enough to introduce himself. Bellatrix stood about ten feet in front of him with Greyback to her right and Rodolphus to her left. Near the edge of the clearing lay the body of a young girl. Harry could not tell if she was alive or not. Probably not. On the other side of the clearing lay Snape, slumped against a tree. His eyes were wide-open and spat fire in Harry's direction. Worry overcame Harry when he noticed the pained way in which Snape carried himself, the blood that was smeared across his skin and the fact that the man hadn't uttered a word yet.

"I can see that you missed him," Bellatrix teased when she caught Harry staring, "Don't worry. He's still in one piece. Mostly."

She laughed again and threw something in Harry's direction. It landed in front of him and Harry clenched his jaw when he recognized it for what it was. A finger.

"You're a monster," Harry said, "Just as much as Tom was."

Bellatrix stopped laughing and narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"You dare!" she screeched, "You dare refer to him by his father's name. He hated that name."

Harry shrugged. "He hated many things. By that standard, there isn't all that much we can talk about anymore."

Greyback frowned and for a second he looked over his shoulder as if inspecting Snape. Harry panicked for a second, thinking he might have heard something but when Bellatrix shrieked again, he returned his attention to her.

"You won't be talking much at all anymore, Potty," Bellatrix spat, "But don't worry. Soon you will see that godfather of yours again."

"I will make you beg for your life," Harry growled, "Just like I made Tom beg for his."

"You LIE!" Bellatrix shrieked so loudly that both death eaters behind her took a step back. "He would NEVER beg for mercy!"

"Ah, but you weren't there now, were you?" Harry said cheekily, "No, he died all alone. Surrounded by his enemies. We crushed him, you know. We crushed his body and his spirit."

"I don't believe you," Bellatrix cried, covering her ears with her hands and stomping her feet as if she was throwing some kind of tantrum. "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"

Harry kept his eyes trained on Bellatrix but noticed it when Snape stiffened nonetheless. Draco must've made it to him.

* * *

Snape didn't know if he should be furious with Harry for falling for what could only have been a trap without even thinking of bringing any back-up or saddened by the fact that he was here and would now most likely suffer the same fate he had.

He wanted to move. To manoeuvre himself to stand with his son if at all possible, but even if his body would have been willing to cooperate, he was magically bound to the tree he was sitting against. He couldn't even speak to Harry with the curse that bound his lips together.

He winced when Bellatrix started screaming at Harry. Greyback glanced over to him for a second, as if to check if he was still there but where would they even suspect him to go now? Snape allowed his gaze to wander, desperately searching for a way out. If he could only access his wand but it had been snatched and stowed in Bellatrix robes somewhere.

Why was Harry egging that lunatic of a woman on? Now she was screaming at him at the top of her lungs and the boy just stood there, looking as cocky as ever. He had his wand in his hand. Rabastan didn't take it from him? Good. Perhaps he could count on the man just yet.

He stiffened when he felt another presence in his direct vicinity. Something touched his hand but he couldn't see it. Despite his restraints, Snape smiled lightly. Harry _had_ brought someone. Sneakily, a wand was slipped into his hand, which he hid away instantly. He performed a series of short wand movements, trying to remain inconspicuous as he did, removing the bonds that bound him to the tree.

He glanced towards his adversaries, making sure that they hadn't noticed. When he was satisfied that their attention was on Harry entirely, he focused on removing the curse from his lips. It too fell to his expertise.

Excellent. Things were suddenly moving at a much faster pace than he had anticipated but he could work with this. His eyes searched Rabastan's and found them immediately. It was as if the man was waiting for him. When their eyes met, Snape flicked his gaze towards Rodolphus and glanced back at Rabastan, glaring fiercely. He did this a couple of times before Rabastan nodded ever so slightly, only enough to be noticed by someone looking for it.

Harry seemed to have noticed that Snape was good to go. Or at least, as good to go as he could possibly be a the moment. The boy raised his wand while Bellatrix was still shrieking, her attention severely diverted and shouted.

"Expelliarmus!"

As distracted as Bellatrix was, that might have been effective had Greyback not lunged forward at that exact moment, knocking Bellatrix off balance but also out of the way.

"You didn't take his wand?' Bellatrix screeched but her attention could not stay on Rabastan too long for she was almost hit with a stunning hex from behind which she only narrowly managed to dodge, partially because of Greyback's earlier interference. Rodolphus was about to help Bellatrix out but Rabastan moved to the left of Harry so he was in his brother's line of sight and struck him with a stunning hex that easily hit its mark.

Greyback might have been a wizard, but he was also a werewolf. And where Remus always did his best to suppress the beast within, Greyback was clearly more the type to embrace it. Which is why – rather than brandishing his wand – he had leapt forward and nearly grabbed Harry by the throat. The boy was fast enough to evade the man's grabby hands and dodged to the side.

He cast a nonverbal stunning hex in the werewolf's direction. Greyback twisted his body slightly, causing the hex to fly right by his shoulder. He growled and lunged forward again but Harry cast a shield charm which Greyback slammed into harshly. Enraged, he shouted all sorts of profanities while Harry took some more steps backwards to increase the distance between him and his opponent. If he would happen to end up in close combat with this man, it would all be over within seconds.

Meanwhile, Bellatrix was doing her best to dodge hexes that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She tried to give as good as she got but only managed to blast the trees in the distance, missing whatever target was hiding from her. Snape had carefully righted himself, still leaning against that tree and aimed his wand, trying to keep his hands steady but not quite succeeding.

"Sectumsempra," he roared and a cutting curse – that seemed to come as a complete surprise – severed the index finger of Bellatrix' left hand as well as a portion of her middle finger. She screeched in either pain or range when she aimed her wand at Snape.

"Time for you to DIE!" she screamed, aiming her wand at Snape's chest but before she could utter her next spell, she was forced to dodge another curse that was thrown her way out of nowhere.

"Coward!" she yelled, "Show yourself before I slaughter you for your impudence!"

Harry tried as best he could to ignore Bellatrix screeching. The enemy he was facing was not to be trifled with. He wasn't sure what exactly had caused Rabastan to curse his own brother and withdraw from the fight, but he was very thankful for the apparent change in allegiances. By now, Greyback had drawn his wand and was firing blasting curse after blasting curse Harry's way. While not refined, there was a large amount of force behind each spell and it was all Harry could do to keep himself from falling to the ground, even when erecting a proper shield.

When Greyback cast the killing curse, Harry dove aside, seeking shelter behind a nearby tree. He wouldn't let the werewolf advance on him though, so he took a chance and cast a nonverbal '_Incendio'_ in his way.

Greyback was taken by surprise and hissed painfully when his arm was set ablaze but he cast a quick Aguamenti and doused the flames. Soon after, another blasting curse was thrown Harry's way and he made the wise decision to leap forward because the tree he was seeking shelter behind was ripped to shreds.

"Impetus Tempestatis!" Bellatrix screeched. She lifted her wand above her head and made large, exaggerated circles in the air. A forceful wind appeared and picked up speed, swaying the trees dangerously and causing all sorts of loose branches and debris to take flight. Unfortunately, so did Harry's invisibility cloak, revealing Draco beneath it.

"You!" Bellatrix yelled, beside herself with rage. "Another traitor joined the party!"

Draco ignored her and tried getting her with another stunning hex but was too slow. Bellatrix retaliated but was met with Draco's shield.

Harry dodged curse after curse, firing back whatever he could. Many of his spells hit their target, wounding Greyback severely but the man didn't seem at all fazed by his injuries. They only seemed to enrage him more. No words or intelligent taunts came from him. There was only the snarling of a mad beast. With all this dodging, Harry was coming dangerously close to the area where Draco and Snape were fighting. And Snape did not look as if he would be able to fend off a raging werewolf as well as a maddened Bellatrix.

"Stricta!" Harry bellowed, aiming true. Greyback suddenly halted his progress, his body engulfed by a large black sphere that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. Harry knew it would only be temporary though. Satisfied that his distraction would probably last long enough, Harry focused on the tall oak tree behind him.

"Vivet Arbor," he chanted, placing his wand against the trunk of the tree in a horizontal fashion. Greyback was pounding against the black sphere that surrounded him, drool leaking from the corners of his mouth as he raged. He had become so feral that he was injuring himself as he tried to claw his way out of his prison. Harry tried not to allow the werewolf to break his concentration. He focused as hard as he could, chanting the spell over and over again until he heard a snap, followed by the thunderous footsteps of the furious death eater, ready to tear him to pieces.

Harry removed his wand and prepared to raise a shield, painfully aware that he would be too late when the werewolf was once again stopped in mid-air. Thick branches curled around Greyback's limbs as they raised the man into the air. For the first time since the start of the battle, Harry could detect fear on Greyback's face. Good. This fear must have been what all the muggles had felt when he tore them to shreds.

Harry looked on without remorse as the tree tightened its grip and pulled strongly. Harry could hear the snapping of tendons, the breaking of bones and the tearing of flesh. With one gruesome yank, the tree had effectively torn off Greyback's right arm. Blood streamed freely as the werewolf howled in pain. But Harry was not yet finished. The tree retained its hold on Greyback's legs and pulled harshly in opposite directions. It was not soon after that the right leg gave way with an audible pop of the thighbone that was removed from its socket. This limb too was carelessly tossed aside. More blood erupted from the werewolf's body and Harry knew that he would not live long. The tree froze again with the death eater still in its grasp as he slowly bled out. Harry walked away, refocusing his attention on Bellatrix.

All three parties involved in the fight were injured and Harry noticed that Snape could barely stand. A whirlwind swirled around Bellatrix, effectively shielding her from most attacks but preventing her from doing any further damage herself.

"Give it up, Bellatrix," Harry yelled in an attempt to raise his voice above the sound of the harsh winds. "Your werewolf is dead. Your lackies have abandoned you., You're all alone."

"NO!" she screeched, "I will never be alone! I have HIM!"

"He is dead!" Harry responded, "There is only one more option for you and that is Azkaban."

Bellatrix laughed uncontrollably, the strong winds only picking up in speed.

"I will _never_ go to Azkaban, boy!" she cried out, "But you will find yourself dead! And so will those traitors behind you!"

Snape slumped somewhat against the tree and Bellatrix seemed to see this as her chance. With a flick of her wand, she stopped the whirlwind, debris flying in every which way due to the momentum it had.

"Frango!" Bellatrix cried, aiming her wand in Snape's direction but Harry was faster. He leapt to the right so he was closer to his father and cast a nonverbal Protego. The spell rebounded on Bellatrix who shrieked and narrowly dodged. A crack seemed to appear in her wand.

"Secare!" Came the next hex. Harry blocked it easily while he approached the witch in front of him. Bellatrix seemed to have lost her mind entirely and the spells she cast were as unhinged and unfocused as she was.

"Bombos," she cried and Harry reflected it again, taking more steps in her direction, glowing with a confidence he didn't know he had. More of the wand's wood splintered in Bellatrix' hand.

"Give it up," Harry said coldly. "You lost."

"Avada Kedavra!"

At point-blank range, it was impossible for Harry to dodge the killing curse. His eyes widened when he realized that his life was over. Somewhere to his right, he could hear Draco scream and suddenly his vision was filled with nothing but green light.

When the light faded, the lifeless body of Bellatrix Lestrange lay in an inelegant heap before him, her wand broken in half.

* * *

Did you like it? Please review and tell me what you thought. It's always very much appreciated!


	15. Chapter 15

_I want to thank you all very much for your reviews. They were a joy to read and I'm tremendously happy that the battle scene was so well-perceived. Please enjoy this next chapter as well!_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Harry stood there in a daze, still reeling from the knowledge that he had come very close to death once more. His eyes were fixed on the limp form of Bellatrix, searching for a sign of life. When he found none, he released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Is she –" came Draco's doubtful voice.

"As a doornail," Harry replied softly. He felt sick to his stomach. With a sudden flood of realisation, he turned around to face his mentor. Snape was breathing heavily, holding himself upright against the tree he had been bound to before. He was deathly pale and Harry knew that they needed to get back to Hogsmeade now.

"Do you know how to apparate?" he asked Draco.

Draco frowned. "I do," he replied, "But I've never tried side-along apparition. I think I could take one person with me but that's it."

"I believe I could be of assistance," noted a voice.

Harry swirled around so fast he thought he might've given himself a whiplash. His wand was still drawn and he trained it on Rabastan Lestrange. The death eater simply raised his hands in surrender, smiling kindly.

"Come now, Mr Potter," he said, "I think there's been enough death for one day, don't you?"

Harry said nothing. He stared at the man who was standing next to the stunned form of his brother and remembered that he had contributed nothing to the fight.

"What's your angle?" Harry spat.

"I made a deal with dear old Severus," Rabastan said. "Go ahead and ask him. Why do you think I allowed you to hold on to your wand? And why do you think I took out my brother?"

Harry glanced at Snape, not sure if he would be able to get a valid response out of the man but their eyes met and Snape nodded.

Harry still didn't trust the man. He was a death eater after all. But he realized that he didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. If Snape didn't get medical attention soon, he might still die.

"You take Severus," Harry told Draco. If anything went wrong, at least Snape would make it to Hogsmeade.

"Harry –" Draco said but Harry held out his hand to stop him.

"We have no time to discuss this," he said, "Go now. We'll be right behind you."

"Out of the – urgh – question," Snape protested but Harry simply looked at him with fierce determination.

"This time, you have no say in the matter," he said and nodded to Draco to signify that they should leave. The blonde did not fight him anymore, grabbed Snape's arm and with a loud bang, he disappeared.

Harry summoned his invisibility cloak to him as well as Snape's wand that was hidden in the folds of Bellatrix' robes. After a moment's consideration, he summoned Severus' severed finger as well.

"We're taking the girl with us as well," Harry said coldly.

Rabastan glanced at the lifeless body of their victim and frowned. "I honestly don't see the point but whatever you say, champ."

Harry lifted the girl into his arms and went to stand next to Rabastan who was kneeling next to his brother.

"If this is a trap," Harry growled, "You can be sure that your fate will be worse than that of your werewolf friend."

"A bit dark but duly noted," Rabastan replied much too cheerily in Harry's opinion. "Well, grab hold, I would say," the man added.

Harry grabbed Rabastan's shoulder tightly while he struggled to keep the girl balanced properly in his arms. Rabastan took hold of his brother's arm and apparated out of the clearing.

When Harry popped back into existence, he was slightly overwhelmed by the crowd surrounding him as well as the noise that emanated from it. They were surrounded by Aurors who were – in turn - surrounded by curious civilians. Dumbledore stood somewhere to the side and had looked at Harry intently when he came back. He smiled at him before turning back to whatever he was doing. Harry couldn't tell because of the crowd surrounding him but since he didn't see Snape anywhere, he presumed that Dumbledore was tending to him.

Rabastan raised his hands in the air, surrendering himself and his brother.

"Gently, fellows," he said, "I did help your golden boy, after all."

Harry sneered and wanted to say something when someone broke through the crowd, hurrying towards Harry.

"Suzie!"

It was Mr Pippin. When he saw the still body in Harry's arm, he released a strangled cry and sank to the floor. Harry kneeled next to him and handed the man his daughter.

"She's still alive," he said softly. But that was all he could say. Frankly, he didn't expect the girl to ever recover from this state if Neville's parents were anything to go by.

The Aurors took Rabastan into custody and awoke Rodolphus before doing the same to him. The befuddled death eater was completely confused and glared wildly at the surrounding crowd but when he looked at Rabastan, his brother merely shook his head in resignation.

"It's over," he said solemnly.

"Thank Merlin," Rodolphus replied.

Harry made his way through the bodies that surrounded him. Some people parted immediately for him while others seemed to insist on checking him over to see if he was alright. But all he wanted to do right now was reach Snape and make sure that he would be alright.

Finally, he broke through the crowd and reached Dumbledore who was now kneeling next to Snape. Draco stood there, looking decidedly lost. Pomfrey, as well as some Aurors that had received medical training, were tending to him fervently.

"Excuse me," Harry interrupted, feeling quite silly for what he was about to do. When one of the Aurors looked up, he produced the finger out of his pocket and handed it over. "I managed to take this with me."

"Oh Harry, there you are," Pomfrey said when she recognised his voice. She glanced towards the finger in Harry's hand and frowned. "I'm sorry but I fear that it's far too late for that."

"Oh," Harry said, dropping his hand. "How is he?"

"We've managed to stabilize him for now," Pomfrey answered, "But he will need time to recover. I would send him to St. Mungo's –"

"He would hate that," Harry interrupted.

"Yes, well, quite frankly I think it's rather ridiculous to agree with the patient's wishes in a case such as this but the headmaster –" she inclined her head towards Dumbledore sharply, "- seems to agree with your sentiment and has made it clear that Severus is to stay at Hogwarts."

"He will be safer here, Poppy," Dumbledore said, "There are still more death eaters out there. I can't be sure if they too would seek revenge but if they do, St. Mungo's is the first place they would check."

Harry kneeled next to Snape where he still found some room to do so and took hold of his hand. Snape's eyes remained closed and he was completely unresponsive. Harry hated seeing him like that. He felt the unmistakable sting of tears trying to force their way out but he refused to allow them to fall. He squeezed Snape's hand a bit tighter and inhaled deeply.

"Please be alright," he said softly. "Please, dad." In an attempt for comfort, he placed Snape's hand against his own cheek, holding it steady, finding at least some smidgen of hope in the warmth of his palm.

"Please move aside for us dear," an Auror told him. Begrudgingly, Harry let go of Snape and got back up, not even noticing it when Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, my dear boy," Dumbledore suddenly said, "I neglected to ask. Are you hurt in any way?"

"Just some scrapes and bruises," Harry mumbled, "Nothing life-threatening."

"Only because you're so damn lucky," Draco growled.

"What?" Harry asked.

"You know _what_. If Bellatrix' wand had been just a fraction less broken or if she had cast that spell sooner, you would be dead now."

"But I'm not," Harry countered.

"How do you keep finding yourself in these types of situations," Draco sighed, "Can't you ever have a normal year?"

Harry groaned. "Draco, I assure you that Severus will make sure to lecture and punish me properly once he feels up to it. Besides, you came along as well."

"Only because there was no stopping you," Draco countered.

"Let's take him to the castle," Harry heard Pomfrey say. She levitated Snape into the air and started walking, accompanied by three Aurors as she went. Harry was about to go after them when he Dumbledore's hand squeeze his shoulder. He sighed, not really wanting to speak with Dumbledore right now.

"Harry," he said sadly, "Why didn't you leave this up to me?"

"There was no time," Harry replied evenly, "You would have taken too long and Severus would have lost more than a finger."

"Perhaps if you had informed me of your plan, I could have helped you."

"Or they would have spotted you – or whomever you would send along for help – and apparated away, just like they said they would."

"You can't know that," Dumbledore said kindly.

"With all due respect, sir, neither can you," Harry replied, finally glancing up to look into Dumbledore's eyes. There was no sparkle and the wizard look every bit his age at the moment.

"No," Dumbledore agreed, "But if I might be less than humble for a moment, I do have quite a few more years of experience than you. I know which risks I can take and which I can't."

"I don't think I would've agreed with your choices," Harry said quietly, "I just didn't want Severus to suffer."

"As noble as that might be, you put yourself in harm's way. Do you think Severus would have agreed to that?"

"No," Harry said, "But why is it _his_ choice? Especially when he was incapable of making any decision at that point. I know he would rather have died than allow me to come but I would never have been able to live with myself if he did."

Dumbledore sighed deeply. "My boy, will I ever be able to convince you to leave these sorts of things up to the adults in your life?"

"I'm legally an adult myself, now," Harry retorted.

"And a fine one you have become indeed," Dumbledore said. "Your parents would have been proud of you and even though Severus will no doubt be very upset with you, I know that he too is proud of who you have become."

"I'll keep that in mind when I'm scrubbing cauldrons," Harry said glumly.

"And Draco," Dumbledore said as he put a hand on the Slytherin's shoulder. "Your courage today was worthy of that of a Gryffindor." Dumbledore chuckled when Draco's face turned sour.

"Oh come now," he said kindly, "That's a compliment."

"Honestly sir," Draco said, "I was hiding under Harry's cloak most of the time. There was no courage in that."

Dumbledore looked at him fondly. "The way I see it, much of someone's real character lies in what they won't admit about themselves."

"He's right," Harry said, "Thank you for coming with me. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Don't get all mushy, Potter," Draco growled, "Before you start blubbering."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Have it your way Malfoy. I thought you would appreciate having a Gryffindor indebted to you."

Dumbledore laughed and Harry was pleased to see the twinkle back in his eyes. Even in his darkest moments, it was never that far away.

"What say you we go and visit Severus now," Dumbledore said.

"Don't we need to explain what happened to the Aurors?" Harry asked.

"Draco already gave them a brief account of the events," Dumbledore explained, "If they require any more information than that, they will simply have to wait. For now, all of us need to recover from today's events."

* * *

It took a while before Snape even woke up. Harry had stopped brewing all together, only going to the dungeons to visit Hedwig and make sure that she had access to fresh food and water. He skipped his classes but dutifully did his homework when Hermione brought it to him. He simply did so while sitting at Snape's bedside.

Harry spoke to Snape often, knowing full well that the man could probably not even hear him. He would've held his hand but refrained from doing so. His hands needed to heal. Out of the nine fingers Snape had left, all of the fingernails had been ripped out so they would be sensitive to any sort of touch. The finger Snape had lost was thankfully just his pinkie finger. Snape would be peeved but he would get over it.

Many of his bones had been broken which explained why Snape had manoeuvred so very little during the battle. It had honestly been a miracle that he had been able to raise his wand at all. Since Bellatrix was quite fond of the cutting curse, it was no wonder that Snape's body was littered with lacerations all over. It had taken Pomfrey hours to tend to all of them. Even his lips had been severely damaged and if that was not enough, he had been dehydrated as well.

The fourth day after the incident, Harry was scribbling away as he focused on his potions essay for Professor Slughorn when he was startled by a gruff voice.

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

Harry dropped his quill and immediately pulled his chair closer to Snape's side, relief evident on his face. "You're awake!" He exclaimed.

"Your skills of observation are as keen as ever," Snape said icily, "Now what are you doing here?"

"Why don't you use _your_ observation skills to figure that out?" Harry replied, "Surely, the answer is not that difficult to deduce."

"Don't argue with me. I –"

"Hold that thought," Harry said before getting up and rushing into Pomfrey's office to inform her of Snape's revival. He came back a few minutes later, the mediwitch close behind him.

"I'm glad to see you re-joined the living, Severus," she said, "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," Snape replied.

Pomfrey rolled her eyes and ran a diagnostic. "You're very lucky that Harry and Draco acted when they did," she said, "Not that I condone their rash behaviour in the slightest, mind you but their interference probably prevented a lot of lasting damage."

Harry did not miss the malicious glare Snape sent his way which he responded to with a cheeky smile.

"How much longer must I stay here?" Snape asked gruffly.

"I would say at least another week," Pomfrey told him.

"That's absurd," Snape growled, "Who is going to teach defence?"

"I'm sure your students can manage without you for a while," Pomfrey said, "It's not like a half-dead teacher would do them any good."

Snape attempted to sit up but Pomfrey placed a hand on his chest and shoved him back down.

"If you manage to lie still as much as possible, you might be able to heal up enough to get out of bed within five days. But if you act like a certain someone else I know –" her gaze shifted to Harry momentarily who protested with a loud 'Hey!' "- I will be forced to keep you longer."

"Understood," Snape sighed. He raised his left hand and grimaced slightly when he counted only four fingers.

"I'm sorry, Severus," Harry said, "I brought your finger back with me but it was too late."

"I could have guessed as much," Snape mumbled, "You shouldn't have wasted any time on it."

"A normal person would say thank you," Pomfrey chided.

"Quite frankly, Poppy. This sort of thing doesn't happen to normal people," Snape replied easily.

Harry snorted and shook his head. He was happy that Snape was back to his snarky self already. Even if he wasn't quite healed yet, it made Harry feel a lot more relaxed.

Pomfrey handed Snape five different vials. "Drink these," she said, "And don't give me that look. You brewed these yourself. You know very well what they're for."

"I'm quite sure I didn't say anything," Snape said.

"Drink the potions," Pomfrey repeated. "And Mr Potter, I believe it's time for you to leave. This isn't your common room and I don't want you getting too comfortable."

"But Severus just woke up!" Harry complained, "Can't I have a few minutes with him?"

Pomfrey sighed. "Fine," she conceded easily, "But make it short."

"Oh sure," Snape growled, "Him, you placate." Pomfrey chuckled and walked away.

"The perks of being the boy-who-lived-twice," Harry joked before he realized what he said.

Snape glared at him. "Indeed," he growled.

"Oh, don't be so grumpy," Harry chided lightly, "Everything turned out alright in the end."

Snape stared at Harry, unnerving him tremendously. His jaw was clenched and so were his fists, which must have undoubtedly been hurting him.

"Severus, stop," Harry said, grabbing one of his hands and unfurling his fingers. Snape yanked his hand back from him and looked the other way.

"Would you stop?!" Harry said loudly, his own frustration bubbling to the surface, "I sat by your bedside for four days, waiting for you to wake up and this is how you behave when you finally do? I did nothing to deserve this treatment!"

"I told you not to come," Snape said quietly.

"What?"

Snape suddenly sat up straight and made to grab Harry by the collar of his shirt but Harry stepped back. "I told you to ignore that letter," Snape snarled, "There is no way that even you could have misinterpreted my message like that. I didn't want you there!"

"Well, not everything is up to you, is it?" Harry growled, "And I'm of age. I can make my own decisions."

Snape snorted. "Of age," he spat, "Only barely and you still make all the wrong decisions."

"Well, what would you have done?" Harry retorted, "The roles could have easily been reversed. Are you telling me that you would have left me there to rot? That you would have calmly waited for Dumbledore to come find me."

"The difference is that I know what I'm doing," Snape said, "I had a plan."

"Well isn't that just fantastic?" Harry spat, "Plan or not you do realize that you were practically half-dead when we got there, right? There's no way you would have survived much longer."

"I would rather have died than put you into harm's way."

"Hypocrite!" Harry shouted, "If I say the exact same thing, I'm a dunderhead that doesn't act his age but when _you_ say it I should just accept it? No, don't you dare. Just shut up! You are my father and I will never – do you hear me – NEVER abandon you when you're in need. And I don't _bloody_ care that you don't want me to. You can just suck it up and deal with it."

"What is going on here?" Pomfrey suddenly shouted, "Mr Potter, when you asked to stay here I didn't expect you to start screaming at the top of your lungs. Severus needs his rest."

"Fine!" Harry said harshly, "I'm not wanted here anyway." He gathered his books together in a messy pile and shoved them unceremoniously into his bag.

"Don't you dare walk out on me," Snape said.

"Try and stop me," Harry snarled. He flung his bag over his shoulder and stomped out of the infirmary leaving a very angry Snape behind.

* * *

Harry stomped off to the potions lab and threw his books into a corner. He knew Snape was going to be angry at him but he was still so infuriating at times.

"Argh!" Harry exclaimed loudly. Hedwig ruffled her feathers in dismay at her master's tantrum but stayed on her perch.

"Can you believe him?" Harry asked Hedwig. "He doesn't even see it! He doesn't understand that he always acts exactly the same but does he ever get reprimanded for it? No, because when Professor Snape does something, he has some bloody fantastic reason for it that negates any argument that he uses against me."

Hedwig tilted her head to the side as if to indicate that she was listening.

"I know that he means well," Harry told her, "But I do too and he doesn't seem to realize it. How could he possibly expect me to just sit there and do nothing? Sometimes I think that he doesn't know me at all."

Hedwig hooted softly. Harry chuckled. "You're right," he told her, "It's not exactly fair of me to shout at an injured man who can't even follow me. The stairs into the dungeon would probably be too much for him."

Hedwig spread her wings and flapped a few times.

"I'm not going to apologize," Harry told his owl, frowning as if she just asked him to rehouse himself into Hufflepuff. "I don't regret what I did. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I just wish I could've gotten there sooner. He must've been in so much pain."

Hedwig flew over and nipped gently at Harry's finger.

Harry groaned. "Yes, the man has just been tortured," Harry agreed, "So maybe it wasn't entirely fair of me to be upset with him for losing his temper. The last thing I want to do is cause him even more pain."

Hedwig started grooming Harry's hair.

"That's just pointless, Hedwig," he told her, "You should know that by now."

When she yanked hard at a particularly knotty strand, Harry yelped and stood up straight.

"Fine!" he told her, "I'll go apologise. There's no need to bully me into it."

Hedwig hooted a few times and flew back to her perch, burying her head underneath her wing.

"Now?" Harry said doubtfully. He sighed. "I suppose you're right." He stroked the feathers on her chest lightly before heading back out. "Thanks, Hedwig. You always know just what to say."

* * *

Trying to channel his inner Slytherin, Harry glanced into he infirmary, checking if he could see Pomfrey anywhere. When he couldn't spot her, he silently crept inside, glancing towards the bed Snape had been in. The curtains were drawn so he could not see him.

Harry took off his shoes in an attempt to be quieter and snuck further into the room, skulking towards the only occupied bed with large yet careful strides. So far so good. When he finally reached the edge of the curtains surrounding Snape, he was about to open them when a quiet voice startled him.

"You look rather ridiculous when you try to sneak around, you know?" Snape said.

Flushing instantly, Harry drew back the curtain, hurried inside and closed it again.

"How did you see me?" he whispered.

"You can see the outline of anyone coming in," Snape replied, "How have you been in here so many times already without noticing that?"

"I just don't pay attention to those sort of things," Harry shrugged.

"Clearly," Snape said. Harry was relieved by the lack of malice in Snape's voice. Apparently, they had both calmed down.

"Hedwig told me to come talk to you," Harry said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Snape replied, "I wasn't aware that you sustained a brain injury."

"I'm sorry for making you worry," Harry continued, "But I hope that you understand that I was worried too."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Snape said, "I was careless. I shouldn't have been caught."

"That's beside the point," Harry said, "And not at all your fault, by the way, but I need you to understand that I would do it all again."

"Why?" Snape said.

"Sometimes, you're a right dunderhead yourself," Harry said in exasperation. "Why do you think? You are my father. I care about you! More so than I care about myself."

"I don't like hearing that, Harry," Snape sighed.

"It's not like that," Harry replied urgently, "You know what I mean. You are my family and I couldn't stand losing you."

"I understand," Snape replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I should've realized that there was no way for you to let me be."

"Not a chance," Harry grinned, "It's a good thing that I'm such a wicked dueller."

"A very good thing, indeed," Snape agreed. "For the both of us. Thank you, Harry. For caring so much."

Harry leaned forward and embraced Snape tenderly, trying not to aggravate his injuries too much.

"I love you, dad."

Harry sighed contentedly when he felt strong arms embrace him back.

"I love you too, son."

* * *

_I'll probably not update until Monday since weekends seem to make for slow traffic. Please do review and tell me what you thought!_


	16. Chapter 16

_Thank you all for your reviews! Wow, those last three chapters really seemed liked. I hope I can keep this up. Rest assured, this story is far from over. There is still so much more to come! And I hope you'll keep enjoying it as we move along._

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Since Snape had awoken, he hadn't allowed Harry to skip any of his classes anymore deeming his education far more important than entertaining Snape. So Harry had begrudgingly gone to his classes before he was finally able to rush back into the medical wing, still carrying his books as he hadn't even dropped those off yet.

When he entered he found a most uncomfortable looking Snape surrounded by cards and sweets. At the moment, he was glaring menacingly at a large green card with a snake on the front.

"From your admirers?" Harry asked.

Snape huffed. "This one came from the entire student body of Slytherin," he said, holding the card out for Harry to take. "I could have expected that much, but where the rest have come from, I couldn't tell you."

"You could try reading them," Harry offered. He plopped down on Snape's bed and grabbed one of the chocolate frogs that littered his bedside table. "Wow, Slytherins sure have neat handwriting," he added as he checked the Slytherin card.

"Since very few Slytherins are muggle-born, they have all learned how to –"

"Oh look!" Harry interrupted giddily, "This one says she wishes her dad was as strong and brave as you are."

"A sentiment ill-befitting of a Slytherin," Snape growled, "I will have to teach her some proper decorum once I get out of here."

Harry placed the card on Snape's table and grabbed another one.

"Since you're not going to read them, can I?"

"Be my guest," Snape said, "But if you dare repeat any of the profanities you will surely see, I will be sticking your tongue to the roof of your mouth."

"You are being paranoid," Harry sighed.

"Here, look at this one," A wide grin formed on Harry's face.

_We hope that you will soon get better  
My mum will prob' knit you a sweater  
Miss you in defence  
Against all common sense  
As for Harry, I was no abettor!  
_  
"It's from Ron, if you hadn't noticed," Harry said, "Way to throw me under the bus at the end. Honestly."

Snape shook his head incredulously. "I cannot understand why he would even bother."

"I think he's finally able to look past your rough exterior," Harry said, "Just like I have."

"How dreadful," Snape groaned, "Soon, I will have Gryffindor children of all kinds littering my private quarters with their presence just because they assume I'm secretly somewhat… _approachable_."

"McGonagall wishes you well," Harry said as he grabbed the next card. A fierce lion prowled the front. "And she tells you to listen to Pomfrey."

"She would say that, wouldn't she?" Snape growled, "Sometimes she seems to forget that I am no longer her student."

"Slughorn offers to brew you some dreamless sleep," Harry said as he picked up the next card, "He seems to think you'll be having nightmares."

"If I need Dreamless sleep, I'll brew it myself," Snape scoffed, "Or I'll have _you_ do it."

"He's just trying to be nice," Harry chuckled, throwing the card at Snape. "I know that's a language you don't really understand but a no, thank you will suffice."

Snape grabbed one of the chocolate frogs and frowned at it for a while.

"They're not poisoned," Harry said, "I just ate one myself."

"It could be a slow poison," Snape replied, "For all you know, you could drop dead in the next hour."

"Or in the next week," Harry added, "I suppose we'll never truly know."

Snape unpacked the frog and bit its head off, carelessly picking up the included card. He was about to hand it to Harry when he froze the movement midway and scrutinized the card with wide eyes.

"What is it?" Harry asked, shuffling closer. When he got a closer look at the card, he burst out laughing.

There was a picture of Snape there while he was stirring in one of his cauldrons. The concoction inside was a hot pink that Harry didn't think any potion in existence was coloured as. Harry had no idea when this particular picture had been taken and wondered how Snape hadn't even noticed. His name was carefully written in blocky letters under the picture.

'_While a Master in Potions he is also a master of the heart. His speciality is in love potions which he gladly distributes among his grateful students. Rumour has it that he stalks the corridors during St. Valentine's day, making sure that any lonely student he encounters has a chance of finding their one true love.'_

"What is this foul nonsense?" Snape spat in horror. "When did this happen? Who made this?"

"I've never seen it before," Harry laughed, "And Ron hasn't either or I would have known."

"I will not stand for this," Snape growled, "Someone is going to pay dearly."

"Pay dearly for what?" Draco asked as he entered the infirmary. "What did Harry do _this_ time?"

"Hey!" Harry responded, "For once, I had nothing to do with this." He took the card out of Snape's hands before he could react and gave it to Draco. The Slytherin read the text carefully, trying his best not to laugh.

He coughed carefully. "Well," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral, "I don't know who is behind this but I am keeping this card for my collection."

"Oh, I don't think so," Harry said, taking out his wand. "That card is mine!"

"Willing to fight me for it, Potter?" Draco said, grinning madly.

"You don't honestly think you stand a chance, do you, Malfoy?" Harry replied smartly.

"Enough," growled Snape, "While watching you two hex each other into oblivion might be entertaining for a short while, that card will not remain in either of yours possession."

"Where there is one, there is more," Harry said easily. "Unless you plan to ban chocolate frogs altogether."

"I have half a mind to do just that," Snape spat.

"Oh, it's already quite crowded in here," came, a female voice from the doorway. Harry swivelled to see Professor Bell standing there.

"Hi, Professor," he greeted, "There's plenty of room. Why don't you join us?"

She did come closer, wearing a concerned expression. "How are you feeling, Severus?" she asked.

"Just fantastic," Snape snarled sardonically, "I can't even almost die in peace anymore."

"You do seem to be surrounded by children a lot nowadays," Maya agreed, "Even when you're not teaching. You really must be a master of the heart." She smiled broadly as she produced another Snape card from her pocket. "Have you seen these? They are brand new."

Both Harry and Draco burst into laughter but Snape scowled fiercely.

"Oh don't look so upset, Severus," Maya said sweetly, "It's really quite a nice picture, at least."

"I don't even remember anyone taking a picture of me in the lab," Snape said solemnly.

"When you make a potion, you tend to be very focused," Maya said, "In fact, you were so focused that you didn't even notice me hiding behind your desk and snapping that shot."

There was a moment of silence in which the History teacher coyly tilted her head to the side, smiling broadly with her hands clasped behind her back. Draco and Harry stared at her incredulously.

"_You_ did this?" Snape asked icily, "You would besmirch my name –"

"Don't be silly, Severus," Maya interrupted him, "I would never! These aren't official, you know?" She took the card from her pocket as well as another one with Dumbledore on it and showed them both to Snape.

"I tried copying the original card layout as best I could," she said, "But I was unable to duplicate the seal of authenticity. I think you need to know some sort of secret charm for it or something. It looks pretty good besides that though, don't you think?"

"So these are not widely distributed around the school?" Snape asked.

"Of course not, silly," Maya said, "I made enough to replace the cards in that basket of chocolate frogs but that's it."

"I see," Snape replied.

"I got you good though, didn't I?" Maya said as she sat down on Snape's bed just like Harry had done before he started going after Draco to get the card. "Come on, you can admit it!"

"Perhaps you had me somewhat worried," Snape said begrudgingly, "But only slightly so."

"Slightly?" Harry said, "You were ready to start hexing people. You should've seen the look on your face!"

"Alright, you brat," Snape said, "I get your point."

"I'm keeping one of these cards," Harry told Maya, "They are awesome, even if they're fake."

"Sure," Maya replied, "But I'm afraid they won't last forever. It'll be less than a month before they fade out entirely."

"Thank Merlin," Snape sighed, "I would hate to think of Harry showing his children these." Snape looked at the card a bit closer. "I can't believe I didn't see you."

"Not only Slytherins can be cunning," Maya said; grabbing one of the chocolate frogs for herself. "So, have you made any more progress with the translation of that tome?"

"When would I have done that?" Snape asked gruffly.

"Like you have a lot to do in here," Maya said, "Aside from entertaining guests, of course."

"Yes. I'm not sure why but people are visiting frequently. It annoys me infinitely." He shot Maya a disparaging glare.

"Don't say that," Maya said, waving a hand in Snape's general direction. "Everyone needs company. I would've come sooner myself if I had found the infirmary sooner. I honestly think some signage would come in handy."

"I'm even surprised that you made it back to Hogwarts by yourself," Snape snorted, "Since I wasn't there to take you."

"It took me ages, though!" Maya said, shaking her head at her own antics. "I didn't even make it back before nightfall! I had to sleep in the forest."

"There is no forest on the way to Hogsmeade," Snape said evenly.

"Well, that would have been nice to know when I was trying to make my way back."

Snape shook his head in dismay. "I can't understand how anyone can have such a bad sense of direction. Are you certain you're not doing this on purpose?"

"Yuck, that one tasted like soap!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. He and Draco had opened one of the every flavour beans boxes Snape had gotten and were now trying to fish out the good ones.

"What did you expect?" Draco chided, "It was white."

"I thought it was banana," Harry sighed.

"You realize you could simply eat a banana if that's what you want," Snape interjected coldly, "It would be much healthier than candy in any case."

"But where's the fun in that?" Harry chuckled, "This is like Russian Roulette with candy!"

"What's Russian Roulette?" Draco asked.

"That's quite enough," Snape growled, "Get out. All of you."

"But why?" Harry asked cheekily, "Don't you appreciate our amazing company? Do you know how many people would pay good money to be near my magnificence?"

Draco made a sort of choking sound and Harry cuffed him lightly.

"Your incessant jabbering is giving me a headache. If you don't leave now, I'll have you in detention with Filch for the rest of the year."

"Okay, okay," Harry conceded, "Come on Draco."

"And if I see anyone else carrying those ridiculous cards, my vengeance will be swift," Snape added dangerously.

The two boys left in a hurry, laughing all the while as they roughhoused through the corridors but Maya stayed behind for a while. Snape quirked an eyebrow at her.

"How are you simultaneously the Professor many kids fear the most but also a man those two boys would gladly risk their lives for?" Maya asked.

"If you ever find out the answer to that question, please do inform me," Snape replied, "If I could make them stop, I would."

"No, that's impossible," Maya said matter-of-factly.

Snape sighed. "I know. Now get out of here before I sic Poppy on you. And know that I will get even with you for _this._" He waved the fake chocolate frog card at her, a scowl firmly in place.

"Wow," Maya replied evenly, "I'm so scared." But then she playfully hit Snape on the shoulder before hurrying out of the hospital wing, grabbing a pumpkin pasty on her way out.

"Feel better!" she hollered right before the door closed. And at last, Snape found himself surrounded by blissful silence. That and loads of get-well cards and sweets.

* * *

Since Snape had behaved and refrained from straining himself too much, Pomfrey had indeed allowed him to leave his bed earlier rather than later. When he had arrived at dinner that evening, he became very aware of most of the students staring at him. Many of their glances were directed at his left hand and even more so when he was eating as if they expected him to no longer be able to hold his cutlery.

That was preposterous, of course. He glared at everyone who dared meet his gaze and was at least mildly satisfied that most students he caught with his death stare were sufficiently mollified.

"Try the roast beef, Severus," Dumbledore told him, "It truly is quite satisfying."

Snape ignored him entirely and grabbed a chicken filet. "Have you spoken to the ministry about Rabastan's case?" Snape asked as he cut into his potatoes.

"Of course," Dumbledore said, "I did so immediately."

"And?"

"Since he made a conscious effort to aid both you and Harry his punishment will likely be diminished. I believe he's looking at ten years or so. His brother, however, will probably be kissed."

Snape grimaced slightly. It was honestly the best he could have hoped for but he still didn't wish the Dementor's kiss on anyone.

"Thank you for your interference," Snape said.

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore replied, "I know that keeping your promises is important to you. And so you did."

Snape nodded. "On a different note, I think we should be very careful from here on out."

"Whatever do you mean, my boy?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape lowered his voice and leaned closer to the headmaster. "They mentioned Rookwood a couple of times," he said, "And while I get the feeling that he works alone, he is much more dangerous than those four clowns were combined."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, "He is a master manipulator as I understand it. Much like yourself, Severus."

Snape huffed. "Perhaps, with the difference that I still have some sort of moral code where he has none. I can't be sure what his plan is or why the slaughtering of muggles was helping him with that but we should stay aware of what's going on."

"Do you believe Bellatrix murdered those muggles because Rookwood told her to?" Dumbledore asked, "I feel like that's something she would've done either way."

"Perhaps she would have," Snape replied, "But I know he was behind it nonetheless. I just don't know why just yet. I think it would be a good idea to start receiving at least one of the muggle papers."

"I trust your judgement, my friend," Dumbledore said, smiling brightly, "And I will follow your advice. Do you have any idea which of those papers is the more respectable one?"

"I suggest you ask Ms Granger," Snape replied, "I haven't read a muggle paper in nearly two decades."

"Splendid idea, Severus," Dumbledore praised, "I shall do just that."

* * *

Harry found himself back in Snape's quarters, ready to get started on another Occlumency lesson. The furniture had been shoved aside again, and the 'Drink of Despair' stood waiting on a side table.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Harry asked as he took his seat in the middle of the floor.

Snape huffed. "It is not I that will be going through a lot of stress and discomfort, Harry," he said, "If you'll remember, you are the one who needs to be ready."

"Well, yes," Harry replied, "But I'm counting on you to save me from myself if I fail, you know."

"You have my word that I'm up to the task," Snape said, "Don't fret and focus. Clear your mind."

Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he had cleared his mind, he opened them again and spotted the potion sitting in front of him. Without trepidation, he drank it in one gulp and braced himself for the impact of emotions he knew would overcome him.

"Remember to focus on occluding," Snape said calmly, "Your emotions do not control you. You control them."

Harry nodded and made eye contact with Snape. He felt the gentle push of his Legilimency waiting on the edge of his walls, expecting them to fall any moment now.

Harry felt the anger and worry wash over him before he even knew where it came from. Only a few seconds later was he reminded of his arduous battle in the forest with Snape's life at stake. He felt his barriers tremble as Snape's mind pushed to break them but he held on.

Bellatrix cackled loudly in his mind and Greyback growled fiercely. Harry was so angry with them that they dared to still interfere in his life. He had already lost one father to the darkness and these people were about to take another one from him.

Harry felt himself succumb to the blackness of his wish to kill them. To rip them to pieces. His walls crumbled and he knew Snape had managed to get in.

"_Push me out of your mind_," Snape told him, "_Get a hold of yourself_."

But he had a clear vision of Bellatrix casting spell after spell at Snape, who was barely able to defend himself anymore. He now knew just how broken the man had already been that day because of the torture that woman had put him through and he understood the anguish he must have felt. This knowledge angered him even more. He tried to use that anger to push Snape out of his mind but could not.

"_You can't use emotions you don't have control over_," Snape chided gently, "_Think rather than feel. I know you can do this._"

Harry took a deep breath that seemed to ground him and remind him where he was. He became aware of the feeling of his own hands on his knees and knew at that moment that they were safe.

He regarded the rest of the battle carefully, watching himself fight with the werewolf. A sensation of mist overcame him that seemed to cloud the entire scene in his mind.

"_That's it_," Snape said, "_That's your shield. Use it. Shape it. Bind it to yourself."_

"_How_?" Harry asked him in return. He was vaguely aware that he had spoken the word aloud.

The mist swirled around the presence that was Snape but didn't block or push him out. Harry tried to shape it but the silver slivers were intangible and moved with a will of their own.

"_You need to will it to_," Snape said simply.

"_How_?" Harry asked again, becoming a bit panicked.

And then, Harry's memory was suppressed just like in that first Occlumency lesson. He found himself sitting in that white space again, with Snape occupying an emerald green couch, regarding him carefully.

"It would appear that we've reached another hurdle," Snape said, "You're almost there, Harry. You really are. You just need a grasp of the how."

"I could've tried a bit longer," Harry said, "You pulled me out rather quickly."

"You've been at it for nearly forty minutes," Snape said blandly. "Don't forget that time moves differently when you're occupying your own mind."

Harry sat down on the bright white floor and looked up at Snape. "Okay, so now what?"

"Now, we wait for the potion to wear off," Snape said casually, "And then, I think we shall begin teaching you Legilimency."

"What? Why?"

"The arts of the mind are complicated in a sense that they have a lot to do with feeling your way through the process," Snape said, "No matter how good you are at explaining yourself, trying to describe to someone how to do something that has no base in their reality is very much like trying to explain the colour orange to a blind man."

"Okay," Harry said, "So why Legilimency."

"Since I have a firm grasp on Occlumency, I can easily show you just what it is that I do to erect my shields. Like I said. You're nearly there. All you need now is the technique. And the best way to understand that is by delving into my mind."

"That sounds dangerous," Harry said doubtfully, "Isn't Legilimency a lot harder to learn than Occlumency?"

"It is if you're trying to become a master," Snape agreed, "But in our case, you only need to know enough to venture into my mind while I guide you where you need to go. I assure you that that is rather easy. It is only when you try to force your way into someone's mind, actively looking for memories and thoughts that it gets complicated."

"Are you sure you trust me with your memories?" Harry asked, feeling a bit silly.

"Seeing how I'll be directing you, I definitely do," Snape said, "And while other memories might bleed into the one I'll be showing you, I trust you to not mention them to anyone."

"Of course," Harry said.

Snape looked up and stared into the distance for a moment. "It would appear the memories are retreating," he said, "The potion has worn off. Open your eyes."

Harry blinked a couple of times and found himself sitting serenely on the floor, the empty vial next to him.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem," Snape replied, "Any way I can protect you, I will." He eyed Harry warily for a while before speaking again. "You really did quite a number on Greyback, didn't you?"

Harry exhaled harshly through his nose. "I guess you could call it that."

"Don't get me wrong. That man deserved to die and painfully so," Snape said, "I am rather impressed with the spell you used. When did you learn that?"

"A while back," Harry said. "What can I say? This stuff comes easy to me."

"Cocky brat," Snape said affectionately, "But I am glad that you're able to defend yourself so well. You're not regretting forgoing the path of an Auror are you?"

"Absolutely not," Harry said honestly, "Just because I would be good at it, doesn't mean I want to make it into my job. At the rate I'm going, I would probably die on my fourth or fifth mission. My luck must almost have run out by now."

"I'm proud of you, you know?" Snape said, smiling crookedly.

Harry flushed a bit and tried to change the subject. "So, Legilimency!"

* * *

_Just a reminder to you all that there is a discord channel for those eager to discuss the 'The Potions-" series per request of FallingToast. You can find the link in my profile._

_Well? How do you think this will work out? Are you looking forwards to another bout of intensive mind tricks? I sure am!_  
_Please review!_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"As you are well aware by now, Legilimency and Occlumency go hand in hand," Snape said, "They are two sides of the same coin. Where Occlumency is a defensive skill, Legilimency is offensive. Therefore, you will need to actively cast the spell."

"Well, I gathered as much from having you invade my mind all those times," Harry said blankly.

Snape fixed him with a piercing glare and Harry wisely shut his mouth.

"You need at least a basic grasp of Occlumency to be able to Legilimise someone's mind," Snape continued as if he wasn't interrupted. "It's important that you occlude your mind lest you lose yourself in your victim's memories."

"But, Severus," Harry said, "I'm not quite there yet, am I?"

"You are," Snape replied evenly, "Enough so to at least attempt the basics. And as I mentioned before, I will be there to guide you."

"So what, do I hold your hand or something?" Harry joked.

"Yes," Snape replied, "If we maintain a physical connection, it will be easier to attain that link while in each other's mind."

"Oh," Harry said. He was starting to feel decidedly uncomfortable. Snape seemed to realize as much immediately.

"It is really not that frightening," he said soothingly, "Trust me to know what I'm doing."

Harry smiled as he relaxed somewhat. "I do trust you," he said.

"Good. Then go ahead and take a seat."

"Do I sit on the floor again?" Harry asked.

"Just to be safe, yes," Snape replied. After Harry sat down, Snape went to sit across from him, his arms resting casually on top of his folded legs. Harry copied his position and looked at him expectantly.

"Take my hands," Snape said. Harry inhaled deeply and did so, trying his best to ignore the missing finger on Snape's left hand.

"Now clear your mind and allow me to reach out."

Harry did as he was told and waited for that now-familiar tingle that would indicate Snape's presence. When he felt it, he allowed it entrance.

For one disconcerting moment, he got the feeling that he was losing consciousness when he felt Snape tug at his own mind but the feeling quickly vanished.

"Don't fight it," Snape said calmly, "Just follow."

If Harry had been fighting Snape at all, he hadn't realized. But he allowed himself to relax some more and closed his eyes to get a better sense of what he was doing. If he concentrated, he got the distinct feeling of a presence floating somewhere right in front of him. The corridors of his – or were they already Snape's – mind passed them by as they went. All Harry had to do was stay close and he quickly found that he could do so if he simply let go of the idea that he was in control.

"_Good_," Snape said. But Harry didn't think he had said it out loud. He had felt it more than he heard it, just like when Snape communicated with him when he was in a memory.

"_You will experience a moment of disassociation now_," Snape told him, "_You must allow it. No harm will come to you."_

And suddenly, Harry felt as if he had lost his connection to the surrounding area. He could no longer feel the floor beneath him nor did he experience the feeling of breathing air. He felt as if he could lose himself at any moment now when he felt the gentle squeeze of Snape's hands grabbing his own. He reached out and grabbed hold of that feeling, allowing his mind to go where Snape was taking it.

And then he was flung into a memory. It was disconcerting to find himself in a scene he hadn't taken part of like he was some sort of onlooker. He looked around, half expecting to find the physical form of Snape looming somewhere behind him but he wasn't.

"_I'm here_," Snape assured him, "_Now pay attention to the memory and the shields I will be putting in place. You will only have a moment to study my efforts before you're ejected_."

Harry recognized the outskirts of Cokeworth. They were near his mother's house. A young child with shoulder-length black hair sat at the riverbank, throwing pebbles into the water. His clothes were worn out and mismatched. He was probably no older than thirteen.

"Severus!" Harry looked away to see a young girl run up to him. Her hair was the colour of fire and her green eyes were so much like his own. She was carrying what seemed to be a picnic basket.

Severus got up and patted his clothes to remove the sand from them. "Hi Lily," he said, smiling warmly. Even Harry had never seen his father look as happy as he did at that moment.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Lily breathed, leaning on her knees to collect herself, "Mum wanted me to clean up my room first."

Severus snorted. "In that case, I'm surprised you even made it here at all."

"Hey!" Lily reacted, swatting Severus playfully, "Are you calling me messy?"

Severus laughed, "Are you denying it? I can't believe you didn't break a leg tripping over your own things yet."

Lily grabbed Severus' hand and started dragging him with her. "Just come on," she said, "I'm starving!" Severus followed.

Harry was smiling brightly at the scene when he recognised the mist swirling across the memory. It was the same kind he had been unable to mould in his _own_ mind. More than see what was happening, Harry could feel it. The intangible fog was actually the solidification of his emotions or in this case those of Snape. He felt the tightening of Snape's hands on his and wondered if it was subconscious on his part.

He was aware of the space between the silver slivers diminishing as they became less translucent and sturdier. If he would have had a sense of temperature, he was sure it would've become colder even though he didn't know why he thought that. The leaves of the surrounding trees stopped rustling and Harry wondered if time had stopped in the memory or if it had just been halted.

"_No_," he said, "_Not yet. Please_."

But his pleas were ignored and he was expelled from the memory. For a moment, he was disconnected from Snape and he couldn't help but think to himself that he wanted more. It was one thing to hear stories of his mother or to see her in pictures. It was another thing entirely to see her in real life, even if it was just a memory.

And without even realizing what was happening, he felt his own mind flip through Snape's, memories flashing past him at breakneck speed. He couldn't even see what was going on. And suddenly - as if he had landed after using a portkey - he found himself grounded in another memory.

"It's because he's a Gryffindor, isn't it?" Severus asked a frazzled looking Lily. Harry thought he might have been sixteen in this memory. He wasn't entirely sure what happened but his mother was in this memory too. And all he wanted was to see more of her.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sev," Lily replied softly, "You know that doesn't matter to me."

"You know how he is," Severus said. His voice sounded hurt. "You know what he and the rest of his pack do to people like me."

"I know he used to be a prat," Lily answered, "But he's improved a lot lately, hasn't he? Wait, has he come after you again?"

Severus seemed to struggle with himself for a while before glaring at Lily. "No," he answered coldly, "But how does that negate his previous actions? They almost got me killed!"

"That was Sirius," Lily said, anger evident in her voice but Harry didn't think it was directed at Severus. "And James was very upset with him for that. Remus as well."

Severus huffed. "They were probably scared that people would find out about Lupin."

"I can understand you're upset about this but it honestly has nothing to do with you, Sev,"  
Lily said, "You made very clear what you think of … people like me."

Severus suddenly lunged forward and for a moment, Harry thought he might hit Lily. But instead, he pulled Lily close and kissed her fiercely, one hand on the small of her back and the other buried in her long hair on the back of her head. She seemed stunned for a moment before she roughly pushed him away.

"Don't!" she spat, "You had your chance and you blew it." Her gaze softened when she saw the hurt look in Severus' eyes but she didn't approach him. "I'm with James now. I'm sorry."

And without another word, she turned around and walked away. Harry wondered if he imagined the tears that now stained her face. He was overcome by pain and sadness as he watched Severus stand there for a few moments before finally turning around and heading in the opposite direction where Harry knew the dungeons were.

Suddenly, Harry felt Snape's hands clench his almost painfully and he was flicked from the memory with more force than he was previously. He was aware of feeling his consciousness be picked up and dragged away. Then – with the distinct feeling of missing a step on the stairs – he was deposited back into his own mind.

He opened his eyes and met Snape's cold stare. His hands were released instantly as the man got up and went to pour himself a large glass of fire whiskey.

"I didn't do that on purpose," Harry said, wanting desperately to defend himself even if Snape hadn't accused him of anything yet. Snape didn't respond. He just took a large gulp of his whiskey, not turning back around to face Harry.

"I don't know what happened," Harry tried again, "I'm sorry."

Snape sighed deeply but still said nothing.

"Dad –"

"Don't," Snape finally replied. There was no anger in his voice. Only a distinct feeling of sadness that made Harry clench his own jaw in empathic agony.

"Your lesson is over," Snape said, "You are excused."

"But –"

"Please leave, Harry."

There was still no anger but the command was clear and Harry knew he would not be allowed to push his luck much farther. Without saying another word, he walked out of the door, glancing one last time over his shoulder to note that the glass of whiskey was already empty. He closed the door slowly and soundlessly, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Upset with himself and desperate to find some sort of distraction, Harry went into the potions lab. Even if he was not allowed to start making his own creation, he could still work on improving existing ones. He could focus on making one he already knew but that would do little to distract him.

He wanted to walk to the station he normally occupied when he noticed someone was already in the lab. And that someone was talking to Hedwig in a gentle voice, stroking her back.

"Luna," Harry said in surprise.

"Hi, Harry," Luna greeted.

Harry frowned. Luna was not at all someone interested in potions. He had never seen her in the lab before. In fact, when had she ever walked the dungeon corridors willingly?

"You seem surprised," Luna commented, smiling kindly.

"I just didn't think I would see you here," Harry uttered, "Not that I mind, of course. The lab is open to anyone so feel free."

"Hedwig won't mind, will she?" Luna asked honestly, "I would feel terrible if I disturbed her."

"I think she secretly likes potioneers," Harry chuckled, "I haven't been able to move her back to the astronomy tower since that heatwave ended."

"That's only logical, isn't it?" Luna offered, "She's been able to be in your company far more than when she's in that tower. Why would she give that up?"

"Do you think so?" Harry asked, "I thought she simply liked the calm down here."

"She's a very smart owl," Luna said confidently, "And she knows her master needs her."

Harry gazed into Luna's eyes for a moment before coughing awkwardly and setting up his cauldron. "So, what are you practising today?"

"The Draught of Living Death," Luna replied, "I wasn't able to brew it properly in class so Professor Slughorn proposed I try again in here. If I manage a better result, he will improve my grade."

"Sometimes I forget you're a Ravenclaw," Harry said fondly, "Of course you would do nothing but your best."

"It's all anyone can do, really," Luna said dreamily, "Even you, Harry."

"Er… Right," Harry said uncertainly, "Here, let me help you. Did you bring your book?"

"I'm sure you didn't come here with the purpose to help me," Luna said, "You can go ahead and focus on yourself."

"It's nothing really," Harry said, "I came here with the intention to distract myself. And helping you will do."

"Distract yourself?" Luna asked airily as she started chopping up her ingredients, "From what?"

"Just something that happened," Harry said quietly.

Luna regarded him for a while, with that kind wide smile on her face before replying. "You know, the reason you are able to hurt each other is because your souls are connected."

Harry looked at her sharply, unsure of what to say. Luna just went back to grinding her rutabaga into powder.

"How do you know what's bothering me?" Harry asked after a while. He picked up a knife and cut Luna's parsley for her.

"I don't really," Luna replied, "But judging by your murky aura, it has something to do with Professor Snape."

Harry nodded. "I saw a memory I wasn't supposed to see."

Luna didn't seem taken aback by that statement at all. Nor did she ask any questions as to how that would have occurred. Instead, she asked: "Did you do it on purpose?"

"No," Harry said easily, "At least I don't think so. I wanted to – well, not necessarily that particular memory – but I didn't even know how."

"A wish is a powerful thing," Luna replied. Hedwig had come to join them on the station and was peering carefully at Luna's ingredients.

"It's just that he has all these memories of my mother," Harry explained, "And I have none. It was so nice to finally see her. To know what she was like. But –"

"But you found out she was human too," Luna spoke kindly, "She was not perfect and she made mistakes. We all do, Harry."

Harry swallowed thickly, wondering why he was telling Luna as much as he was. "I know," he said, "But Severus is still suffering from what happened. Even if I don't fully understand it, it doesn't seem right."

"The heart was made to be broken," Luna replied. She started the fire under her cauldron and threw in the first of her ingredients. "And the best way to keep that from happening is by pretending you don't have a heart at all. I think that's why Professor Snape acts the way he does."

"But don't you see," Harry sighed, "That means my mum broke him. There's no way I can ever hope to fix that."

Luna chuckled innocently. "Broken glass sort of looks like glitter, doesn't it?"

Harry couldn't help himself. He laughed. Luna smiled brightly when he did.

"I have faith in the both of you, you know," Luna said, "Professor Snape has been able to help you dispel most of your sadness. I know you can do the same for him."

"Why do you think I was ever sad?" Harry asked.

Luna looked at him knowingly. "I see many things, Harry Potter. It's easy to keep an eye on others when you're invisible. I know you once knew this too."

Harry couldn't speak past the lump in his throat that had suddenly formed for no good reason. Hedwig nipped his finger carefully and Harry smiled at her.

"This is where the potion stops doing what I want," Luna said, completely, undisturbed. She was about to toss in her Valerian root when Harry stopped her.

"Don't throw it in haphazardly," he said, "You need to distribute the root along the edges of the cauldron. It has a reaction with the pewter that you need for the potion to work correctly."

"Is that so?" Luna asked, coyly tilting her head. She carefully added the powdered root per Harry's instructions, watching eagerly as the potion absorbed the ingredient.

"Don't forget to stir," Harry told her, snapping her out of her dreamy daze.

"Of course," Luna said as if she hadn't forgotten at all. She stirred ten times clockwise while Harry watched.

"So how is your personal project coming along?" Luna asked.

Harry sighed. "Severus is forcing me to learn Occlumency before I am allowed to try and brew it at all."

"You'll manage," Luna said knowingly, "I think your purpose is a great one."

"You do?" Harry asked, feeling uncharacteristically happy with the faith Luna seemed to have in him.

"Even death has a heart," Luna said, "He will allow you your creation. I know it."

Suddenly, Harry wondered how much Luna still struggled with the death of her mother and if she was secretly looking forward to this potion herself. "I'm sorry about your mother," Harry said out of the blue.

But Luna smiled and shook her head. "Death ends a life, not a relationship," she said, "I miss her but I will always have her nearby."

Harry didn't know why he suddenly felt the urge to do so, but he embraced Luna kindly, trying to comfort her. She did not hesitate to hug him back. And even though he had initially hugged her to make her feel better, he couldn't help but feel his own troubles dissipate somewhat as well.

When she ended the embrace, Harry felt almost saddened by it but he smiled back at her unflinchingly.

"I do believe this attempt is considerably better, don't you?" Luna asked sweetly.

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"The draught," Luna replied, gesturing towards the cauldron.

"Oh," Harry said, "Yes. Of course." He looked in the cauldron and found no fault with the potion at all. "It looked like you nearly had it anyway," Harry added, "You really didn't need all that much help."

"We all need help sometimes," Luna said importantly. She bottled one vial and vanished the rest of the potion. "I really admire you, do you know that?"

Harry felt himself flush, not knowing what to say. Thankfully for him, Luna didn't seem to expect a reply.

"Bye, Harry!" she said before skipping out of the lab. Hedwig hooted as she left and Harry stroked her absentmindedly wondering when he had grown so fond of that dreamy little Ravenclaw.

* * *

A few days later, Harry found himself sitting at the breakfast table, staring wryly at his untouched breakfast rolls. He hadn't really spoken with Snape that much since their Legilimency lesson. There didn't seem to be any anger or resentment between them but they didn't speak nonetheless. When Harry chanced a glance at the high table, Snape was sitting there with Professor Bell having a very one-sided conversation with the man.

"Even more muggles have disappeared," Hermione said worriedly. Harry turned his attention to her and frowned at the paper she was holding.

"Again?" he asked, "That's three days in a row."

"I know," Hermione said in frustration, "But this time, several muggles have died on the scene of the disappearance as well."

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron said, drawing her in a one-armed embrace. "I know you're worried about your parents."

Hermione accepted the embrace and nodded in Ron's chest. "I don't know what to do."

"Maybe we can ask Dumbledore for help," Harry suggested, "Or if you want, we can owl the ministry and ask them to place some Aurors on the lookout near them?"

"Why would they do that?" Hermione asked, "They're just dentists. There's nothing special about them."

"We could at the least connect their fireplace to the floo network," Ron offered, "Have it connect to Hogwarts and explain how it works. Place some wards around their house and tell them to use the floo if it ever goes off."

"Ron," Hermione said, pulling back to look at him completely baffled. "That's actually a very good idea. And Professor Dumbledore might even agree to it."

"Of course he'll agree to it," Harry agreed, "He cares about his students and I know that he wouldn't want his top student's grades to go down because she's worried all the time."

"What is Dumbledore even reading?" Ron suddenly asked when he noticed the strange paper the man was holding. Harry squinted but couldn't make it out.

"The Sunday Times," Hermione said easily, "It's a muggle paper."

"It's not even Sunday!" Ron said, "Are muggles always that late with their news?"

"Of course not," Hermione sighed, "But you can't very well expect a muggle paper to get here on the day it's published, can you? It gets delivered to a squib Professor Dumbledore is in contact with and they owl it to him. It's bound to be a day late."

"Okay," Ron said slowly, "But why is he reading a muggle paper?"

"Is it because of the disappearances?" Harry asked.

"I think so," Hermione said, "But to be honest, he didn't exactly tell me his intentions when he asked me what I thought was the more reputable muggle paper."

Harry stared at Dumbledore contemplatively for a while when the man seemed to notice that he was being watched and looked up to see Harry looking at him. He smiled brightly and Harry smiled back sheepishly.

Dumbledore held his gaze for a moment more before inclining his head toward Snape. Harry's gaze flickered to the man before he could help himself. Snape was busying himself with eating eggs and ham. Professor Bell was no longer talking to him but entertaining Hagrid with a funny anecdote of some kind if Hagrid's thunderous laugh was any indication.

Harry met Dumbledore's gaze again and shrugged as he shook his head, a helpless expression on his face. But Dumbledore winked at him and nodded as if to tell him that everything would be alright.

"Ready for defence?" Ron asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry sighed, "Let's go."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

On the way to defence class, the golden trio was joined by Draco.

"Hi Draco," Harry greeted, "How's life?"

"Much better without a certain insanity-driven family member in it," Draco replied.

Harry chuckled, "I can imagine. Ready to get the snot beaten out of you?"

"Me?" Draco replied, "Please, I'm a god when it comes to defence. If anyone's in trouble, it's Weasley."

"Hey!" Ron said, "I could've done the same thing you did in that forest. I just wasn't invited."

"Neither was I," Draco replied easily, grinning crookedly, "I simply didn't take no for an answer."

"Boys, boys," Hermione interjected, "You're both pretty. Now can we move along before we run late?"

"Hey, that's odd," Harry suddenly said, stopping at a sign they came across. "This wasn't here before."

The sign read 'The Potions Laboratory'. Draco laughed out loud when he saw it. "Well that's entirely wrong," he chuckled.

"Some poor first years are going to get lost," Hermione said in exasperation. She took out her wand and waved it at the sign but nothing happened to it. She blinked in confusion and tried again but to no avail. "It won't change."

"Leave it," Draco said, "Even the first years have been here for a few months already. If they don't know their way yet, it's their own fault."

"Don't be so heartless," Hermione huffed but she put away her wand anyway. "Now come on or Professor Snape will probably give us all detention."

Harry laughed, "We can always tell him the sign confused us."

The foursome sprinted – since they were really running late now – towards the classroom and made it just in time. Snape was already sitting there, eyeing them amusedly when they barged inside. Everyone else was already present.

"How kind of you to grace us with your presence," Snape said evenly, "Perhaps you should refrain from taking a second helping next time, Mr Weasley."

Ron flushed and Draco snorted. Anticipating a lecture of some sort, they stood waiting until Snape waved them off with his hand. "Take your seats before I decide to take points."

They all did, somewhere near the back of the class.

"We have spent a large part of last year as well as these first few months on individual prowess and improvement," Snape drawled, "And yet, you will find yourself in numerous situations where you are expected to work together. Some of you wish to pursue the career of an Auror. If so, you will be assigned a partner and expected to work together for the length of your careers. The same goes for many other tangents in the path of this line of work.

"You need to be able to protect each other as well as count on your partner, wherever they came from." He eyed his students carefully. "Even a Slytherin has to be able to work with a Gryffindor. Try not to lose yourself in each other's weaknesses but build on each other's strengths."

Snape grinned. "I'm sure you all know where I'm going with this. You will be pairing up with someone from another house. Choose wisely because you will be training alongside each other for a considerable amount of time. You're allowed ten minutes for your selection. No more. Begin!"

"I choose Draco!" Ron and Harry said in unison.

"Hey!" Hermione pouted, "That's not fair. Why can't I duel with Draco for a change?"

"Wouldn't you feel more comfortable with another girl, though?" Ron said.

Hermione huffed, "Not necessarily. I just want to get good grades."

"While I am flattered to be so desirable," Draco interjected, "I think I choose Harry."

"Out of the question," Snape suddenly said. Harry whirled around to see the man looming over them.

"What?" He objected, "Why not?"

"The teams will be facing off against one another as you've no doubt gathered," Snape said easily, "I hardly think it fair to allow the two of you to team up against any other pair. I would rather not have any casualties in my class."

"We wouldn't kill anyone," Draco snorted, "We can control ourselves."

"Even so," Snape said, "You wouldn't learn a thing from drawing on each other's strengths. You know each other very well already, having been in battle together."

Harry groaned and Snape rolled his eyes in response. "Don't be childish. Just find someone else. I am sure you will have a myriad of partners to choose from."

Harry smiled when he realized that Snape was acting like his normal self. Maybe he shouldn't have worried as much as he had about the man. "Alright, Professor," he finally replied. "Sorry, Draco."

But the blonde waved him off and turned towards Ron and Hermione. "Alright, which one of you wants to be in my magnificent presence for the next couple of months?"

Harry allowed his eyes to roam the others who seemed to be wandering aimlessly through the classroom when he was addressed by someone.

"Would you like to pair up with me?"

Harry recognised the boy as Michael Corner. He had been one of the original members of the D.A. and Harry knew that he was actually very capable. He had straight black hair and brown eyes that looked at Harry expectantly. Harry knew Ron didn't like him very much but thought that had more to do with him dating his sister way back when than anything else.

"Michael, was it?" Harry replied, "Fine by me if you think you can keep up with me."

Michael flashed Harry a crooked smile, an eager glint in his eyes. "I might surprise you still," he said smoothly, extending his hand. Harry shook it, sealing their new partnership.

"Time's up," Snape announced and the classroom fell silent. "Has everyone paired up? Good. The first thing we will be practising is blocking for each other. Find another team and wait for further instructions.

Ron rushed over to Harry, frowning slightly when he saw Michael. He was flanked by Blaise Zabini who – for now – followed easily.

"Want to face off against us?" Ron asked.

"If you think you can handle us," Harry teased.

Zabini huffed. "I'm sure that being dragged down by dead weight like that –" he inclined his head towards Michael "- will have you at a disadvantage."

"Oh?" Harry replied, "If I recall correctly, Michael made it into the advanced defence lessons last year. And where were you again Zabini? Oh right, you were almost not even good enough to stay."

"That's quite enough," Snape sneered but it wasn't directed at Harry's group per se. Bickering had broken out nearly everywhere but stopped as soon as Snape had raised his voice.

"For now, you will all be blocking stunning curses," he said, "This is not your first year and I expect you all to know what you're doing at least. You will do this all nonverbally. Points will be deducted for each word you say. You will not be taking turns either. Treat this exercise as a real battle. If you get stunned, you are out. If your partner gets stunned, you are out. When you are victorious, you await the next party to be at the ready and start over. Begin."

Immediately, Harry and Michael backed away from Ron and Zabini. For a moment, no spells were thrown, all four of them waiting for the others to begin. Eventually, it was Zabini who fired the first stunning spell. Harry flicked his wand and thought of his own version of the shield charm. Immediately, a pair of shields formed in front of him and Michael.

Harry looked at Michael briefly, grinning as he did. The Ravenclaw seemed to understand his intent and smirked. He fired off a stunning hex at Zabini but it was blocked. Ron tried to reciprocate with his own spell but the shields were firmly held in place by Harry and Michael cast his own spell at Ron who was unable to defend as he had already fired off his attack. Zabini should've been able to block for him but either didn't or couldn't. Ron was taken out of the battle but Zabini didn't seem to care. He kept throwing his curses at the pair in front of him.

Harry shook his head at the ridiculous Slytherin. He noticed that Zabini was now focusing all of his attacks on Harry as if he would be able to break through his shield. Harry looked at Michael again and nodded, hoping that the Ravenclaw would get his intent. When he noticed a second shield charm form in front of him, he knew that he had. He dropped his own shields and waited until Zabini fired another spell. At exactly the same moment, Harry cast his own stunning hex, effectively hitting Zabini square in the chest. The Slytherin actually flew backwards for a few feet before landing in a crumpled heap.

"Wicked," Michael said, high fiving Harry for their victory. Harry grinned and went to wake up Ron. The redhead groaned as he got up from the floor.

"We never stood a chance," he whined.

"Next time," Michael said, "Once you learn to work together, you'll manage."

Ron snorted but didn't respond. He walked over to the side-lines, not even bothering with waking up his teammate and sat down.

It was only to be expected that Harry and Michael won from every team they went up against. And if Harry was honest, that was not even entirely because of him. Did his own experience help him? Well, of course! But Michael was not bad himself. He seemed to have a clear understanding of how a battle worked and was able to move with the finesse of a Quidditch player. They had steered clear of Draco and Hermione, knowing full well that they would probably be the team to beat and when the lesson had nearly come to its conclusion it was indeed them they were faced off against.

Everyone else was watching them. Snape was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"A very expected turn of things," he drawled, "Why don't you show your fellow classmates what it takes to be on a team. Use whatever spells you deem necessary except for ones that may kill or maim permanently. Is that understood?"

Harry locked gazes with Michael once more and was satisfied to see that the boy was absolutely ready for it. He seemed eager to show what he was capable off with a burning passion. This was probably one of the students that aspired to become an Auror.

"Begin," Snape said.

Both teams backed up, leaving a large amount of space between them. They stared each other down but none of them was making the first move. Harry tightened his grip on his wand as he shifted his weight to his back leg, regarding his adversaries carefully.

The classroom was completely silent as the onlookers waited with bated breath. Snape still acted aloof and relaxed but Harry knew that he too as waiting intently.

Then, Harry and Draco both stepped forward at the same time, firing off their spells. A blue beam met a red one in mid-air and an explosion followed. Harry ducked to the right – away from Michael – and tried to make use of the smoke that had formed to bypass Draco.

Trying to sneak past a Slytherin was a mistake though and he soon saw the tell-tale red streak of a hex rushing his way. He raised his wand to attempt a defensive shield when the spell already broke off against one a few feet in front of him. '_Thanks Michael'_, he thought and rushed towards the middle of the 'battlefield'.

The smoke was gone now and Harry met up with Michael in the middle. They turned so they stood with their backs towards one another. Hermione and Draco were both on opposite ends of the room. They both fired a hex at the same time but Harry recognised them for the elemental attacks they were and knew that a simper '_Protego'_ would not work. Michael hadn't noticed and his useless shield was already up.

In a split second, Harry decided to shield Michael from Draco's attack that would be decidedly worse than Hermione's.

"Stantibus Clypeum," he shouted as he grabbed Michael's arm. He was not able to cast this one nonverbally yet but he heard no groans of protest from the Gryffindors. Michael's skin turned into an earthy brown as it seemed to harden and sheen. Meanwhile, Harry tried to duck out of the way of Hermione's blast and barely managed. His arm was grazed by the spell and stung painfully but he ignored it for now as he charged at Hermione.

If the other team had wanted to split up, that was on them. Hermione took a step back and fired off some new curses and hexes that Harry simply dodged and blocked. He heard the sounds of a second battle behind him but focused on the witch in front of him.

With another flick of his wand, he managed to disarm Hermione. He caught her wand as it flew in his hand and smiled at her victoriously, his wand now trained on her neck.

"Well," Snape suddenly drawled, "It would appear we have a draw."

Harry blinked and turned around to see Michael on the floor, completely incapacitated by a stunning hex. Draco was looking at him rather smugly.

"It would appear that you all still have a lot to learn about working together," Snape continued, "Nonetheless, it was very well done."

"Potter cast one of his spells verbally though," Zabini sneered.

"Did he?" Snape sneered, "I must not have heard that over the obvious jealousy that came exuding from you. Come complain to me once _you're_ able to cast that particular spell nonverbally. Or at all, now that I think of it."

Zabini flushed but kept his mouth shut after that.

"Class dismissed," Snape said and walked over to his desk, straightening out some papers as he stared at them dumbfoundedly.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked as he approached the Professor.

"No," Snape said, now moving his inkwell a few inches to the right, "Just the feeling that – never mind." He shook his head and placed the papers on the edge of his desk. "Something I can help you with, Harry?"

"I was wondering if you still wanted to continue those Occlumency lessons," Harry said bravely.

"Naturally," Snape replied, "It would be a shame to quit now. You've come so close after all."

"Do you mean it?" Harry asked, "I just thought… well,"

Snape sighed. "It wasn't your fault," he said, "And you may not have realized but I am an Occlumens. I am capable of controlling and reigning in my emotions. Which is exactly what you need to learn."

"Right," Harry said, somewhat relieved. "For what it's worth, I think I get it now."

Snape quirked a sardonic eyebrow. "Do you?"

Harry nodded, "Absolutely."

"We'll see," Snape said, "But for now, you'd best run along."

"Oh shoot," Harry said when he noticed everyone else was gone. "You're right. See you later!"

* * *

As Harry and his friends manoeuvred through the corridors that day, they noticed a lot more of those signs along the way. Most of them pointed in the entirely wrong direction for what they were depicting but a small amount of them was correct.

It wasn't until Harry sat in the History of Magic class, waiting for Professor Bell to arrive that he realized what must be happening. She didn't show up for fifteen minutes and Harry suspected that the signage had thrown her off completely.

"Maybe we should look for her," Draco offered willingly. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Eager, aren't you?" she pointed out.

"I bet she's somewhere near the transfiguration classroom," Harry offered, "There was a sign reading 'History of Magic,' pointed in that direction anyway.

"I can't believe she still doesn't know her way around here," Ron chuckled.

"Come on, I'll go with you," Harry told Draco, "These History lessons are too good to miss."

"Try not to get attacked by death eaters on the way there," Ron jibed good-naturedly.

"We'll do our very best," Draco replied dutifully before exiting the classroom with Harry on his heels.

"So, do you think Snape is behind this?" he asked.

"Almost definitely," Harry chuckled. "But to be honest, she kind of had it coming."

"I'll say," Draco said happily, "I'm still looking for a charm to make that card permanent. It's one of my most prized possessions."

"Don't let Snape catch you doing that," Harry warned, "Or he _really_ might lock you up in the dungeons."

"He would never punish his darling godson," Draco said assuredly, "I am simply too endearing."

Harry cuffed Draco playfully. "You're a prat."

"And where are you two headed?" asked a familiar voice. Harry and Draco stopped in their tracks to meet a surprised looking McGonagall.

"Hi Professor," Harry greeted sheepishly.

"Don't hi me, Potter," McGonagall said, "Why aren't you in class?"

"Professor Bell is missing," Harry explained, "We're expecting her to be somewhere around here. Have you seen her?"

McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose as if she was fighting a headache. She mumbled something under her breath but Harry didn't quite catch it.

"Point me Maya Bell," she said and started walking with Draco and Harry on her tail. She stopped in front of her own classroom – there was no transfiguration lesson planned this hour – and opened the door. Maya was sitting behind her desk.

"Oh, Minerva!" she greeted, "Good to see you."

"What are you doing here, Maya?" McGonagall asked, not quite able to hide her exasperation.

Professor Bell flushed a bit. "I'm afraid I'm terribly lost," she admitted, "But the new signs pointed me in the direction of this classroom so I thought some changes had been made. But the students aren't coming."

"I don't know who put those signs there," McGonagall said sternly, "But they are most decidedly wrong. And you are in the wrong classroom."

Professor Bell sucked in the air between her teeth. "Yes, I thought as much."

"Harry, Draco," McGonagall said, "Kindly escort Professor Bell to her own classroom if you will."

"Of course, Professor," Harry said easily.

"Your escort awaits," Draco said haughtily, offering his arm. Maya chuckled and took it as the three of them strolled out of the transfiguration classroom, McGonagall shaking her head in their wake.

"I must admit that Severus really got me good with this one," Bell said cheerfully.

"You think it was Snape?" Draco asked.

"I might not have a sense of direction but I do have a brain, you know?" Bell said, "What other purpose could there possibly be?"

"We thought so too," Harry admitted.

"When do you think he'll have mercy on me?" Bell asked.

"Mercy?" Harry chuckled, "Severus shows no mercy, Professor."

Bell snorted. "Ah well, at least I'll get plenty of exercise roaming these hallways."

* * *

After the severely shortened History lesson where every student had been given a character to play a role in the diplomacy feast of 1845, Harry lost track of Professor Bell again since they had Potions class next. Ron had had a free period which he undoubtedly spent playing Quidditch.

All four of them met up in the great hall for dinner where a sufficiently smug-looking Snape sat, glancing at McGonagall in defiance.

"Fred and George would be proud," Ron snorted, "Who knew Snape had it in him to be a prankster."

"I did," Draco said easily.

"Sure," Ron replied sardonically, "April fool's day must be a real hoot in the Slytherin common room. Tell me, does he replace your shampoo with befuddlement potions?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "He's normally not like this at Hogwarts," he explained, "I meant at home. He's my godfather after all."

"Is he seriously not going to help Professor Bell out?" Hermione asked, "At this rate, she might end up starving. She didn't make it here for breakfast or lunch either."

Harry met Snape's gaze who smirked at him and Harry narrowed his eyes, inclining his head towards the great hall entrance. Snape simply shrugged and took a bite from his food.

'_Come on, be a gentleman,_' Harry wrote on his cuff.

'_Chivalry is a Gryffindor trait,_' came the reply.

'_Don't make me lace your food with your own limerick potion_,' Harry threatened.

Snape stared at him coldly for a while before replying.

'_Even you are smart enough to realize you can't get to me through potions.' _

'_Not yet, perhaps_,' Harry replied simply.

Snape sighed theatrically and got up from his seat. He walked past Gryffindor table, cuffing Harry lightly on the head as he went. Harry laughed and watched him go.

"I envy your powers of persuasion," Draco said in awe. "If you can get _Snape_ to do something, you can influence everyone."

"You're a Malfoy," Harry pointed out, "I'm sure you're fine."

* * *

Snape followed his own signage that led to the astronomy tower even though it read 'Great Hall'. He climbed the stairs to find Maya at the end of them, looking through the large telescope that was used for astronomy classes.

"Did you not realize that there are no winding staircases that lead to the Great hall?" Snape asked. Maya didn't even jump when he made his presence known.

"Hi Severus," she said, still staring through the telescope, "Took you long enough."

"Yes, well, you have my son to thank for my coming here at all," Snape replied evenly.

This time, Maya looked away and met Snape's bored glance with a smile. "Tell him I said thanks," she said, "Because I'm simply starving."

"Come on then," Snape said, descending the stairs again.

"I love astronomy, you know," Maya suddenly said. Snape didn't reply. "Of course I'll tell you why that is," Maya replied to the unspoken question. "You see, by reading the stars you can find your way around, even if your sense of direction is as horrible as mine."

Snape smirked. "I hope you learned your lesson."

"And what would that be?" Maya asked sweetly.

"Don't try and prank the master of cunning," Snape replied evenly.

Maya laughed loudly. "Alright," she said, "I'll at least admit that I've met my match. But I'm not giving up yet!"

They walked past a sign that incorrectly pointed to the Defence classroom and Snape waved his wand, changing it to correctly point towards the Great Hall.

"I didn't expect you to," Snape said smiling slightly. "Just don't be surprised when you suddenly end up de-aged and transferred to Beauxbatons.

"You would never!" Maya exclaimed, grabbing hold of Snape's elbow with both her hands entwined around it. "You would miss me way too much."

Snape snorted but allowed the close proximity of the History teacher. "You overestimate your value," he said.

"Well, your son would miss me," Maya pointed out, "And I know your godson would as well. So face it, you're stuck with me."

"As you say," Snape sighed in resignation as they arrived at the entrance of the great hall. "Now unhand me woman, or I'll never hear the end of it."

Maya laughed and released him, skipping ahead of him to run into the great hall, the dark master following behind her. He looked up just in time to see that self-satisfied smirk on Harry's face.

"Brat," he mouthed. Harry just laughed.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Harry found himself on the way to Snape's private quarters once more, passing the sign that spelt out 'Potions classroom' on the way there. Since the signs were all still there but were now all displaying the proper information, Harry couldn't help but wonder if this outcome of Snape's 'prank' had been his true purpose here. He had noticed that Professor Bell was always on time nowadays and could get around much more easily.

This would be their first lesson since that one experience with Legilimency Harry had had before. While Snape had acted completely normal since then, Harry felt a sense of trepidation when he thought of facing Snape in this particular context.

He easily found his Gryffindor courage and entered Snape's chambers, finding the man sitting behind his desk with his feet propped up as he read a thick book.

"Good evening, Harry," Snape greeted casually. He placed a bookmark between the pages and closed the book, putting it back in its rightful place on the shelf.

"Good evening," Harry replied easily. He felt the urge to add 'dad' at the end but still didn't feel entirely comfortable with it. He mentally kicked himself. How many more times would the man need to save his life and/ or almost die before he could finally call him his dad without flushing every time he did it? But he catalogued that thought away for another time and focused on the present.

"You didn't move the furniture out of the way," Harry noted.

"I don't see the point anymore," Snape replied easily, "At the rate, we're going, you're hardly thrashing about nor is either one of us knocked to the ground anymore as you practice. We'll be a lot more comfortable seated in a chair, wouldn't you say?"

"Sure," Harry replied, "But don't blame me if I do end up breaking your favourite bookcase or something."

Snape took out the familiar potion and swished it a bit in front of Harry's face but drew back a bit when Harry made an attempt to grab it. The boy frowned but waited, reading in Snape's expression that something had changed.

"This is the undiluted version of the potion," Snape said importantly.

"Already?" Harry asked, slightly taken aback.

"I feel that the diluted version doesn't exactly present you with a challenge anymore," Snape explained, "Especially since you seemed adamant that you understood the intent behind the shielding process."

Harry gave Snape a half-smile. "You're not doing this to get back at me, are you?"

Snape frowned. "Of course not. I would never do such a thing."

Harry took a deep breath before taking the potion out of Snape's hands. "Okay," he said resolutely, "Let's do this."

"You know the drill," Snape said, "Start by clearing your mind."

It took only a moment for Harry to do so and soon he drank the potion without any more hesitancy. Snape looked at him expectantly, ready to jump in if needed while Harry did his best to focus on occluding his mind.

The first thing he noticed was the sudden unbearable pain in his stomach. An unintended side-effect from the potion. The diluted version had caused some discomfort in the past but it had been nothing quite like this. Harry gasped for air as the stabbing pain distracted him.

"I know it hurts," Snape told Harry. There was clear concern in his voice and Harry noticed that the man reached out with his hand but Harry held up his own to stop him.

"I'll be fine," he forced out, "Just give me a moment."

So far, he had been able to keep his Occlumency shields up but the memory of his darkest day started seeping through. There were shards of hopelessness that seemed to penetrate his mind, sowing the seeds of despair as they touched down. Harry gritted his teeth at the growing sense of discomfort and hopelessness. He noticed that Snape hadn't done anything yet and he pierced the man with an accusatory glare.

"What are you waiting for?" he snarled, "Do it!"

The sooner they could get this test started, the sooner they could get this over with. Snape seemed to doubt for a moment but eventually, he raised his wand and aimed it at Harry.

Harry wasn't even sure if Snape had spoken the word. He was more aware of that subtle tingle of Legilimency touching on his shields than any other impulse around him. The pain made him lash out with his own mind but Snape seemed to be expecting it and slipped past.

Harry hissed when another stabbing pain coursed through his stomach. It was enough to break his concentration and allow the memory to envelop him full force. And suddenly, he was that young boy again, climbing the stairs of that old apartment building. There was nothing he wanted more than to die and today he would fulfil that goal.

"_Harry_," A voice called out to him, "_Remember. That's not you anymore_."

Harry stopped climbing those stairs, looking around him. That's right. He was 'Harry' to someone. He was not 'freak' and he was not 'boy'.

Harry took a few more steps. Something was still pulling him upwards. "I don't want this," he said, "I don't want any of this."

"_Block it, Harry_," the voice urged him, "_I know you can do it. You've done it before. I have faith in you._"

Everything hurt. Harry was in so much pain. What had caused that again? Vernon hadn't touched his stomach in over a week. A shard of a memory penetrated his mind. That's right. He had drunk that potion. That had caused the pain. He was practising Occlumency with Snape. With his father. He had a father now.

Harry shook his head, dislodging his consciousness from the memory and freed himself somewhat from the potion's effects.

"_There you go,"_ Snape said gently.

Harry distanced himself from the feelings of hopelessness and grief as he watched that familiar mist swirl all around him. He remembered what he had felt Snape do when he had been in his memory and tried his best to copy his actions. He willed the mist to solidify and bend as he wished. Time seemed to stop altogether in the memory as the colour faded. And then, Snape's presence was gone entirely.

While that had been his goal, Harry suddenly felt very lost. He missed the invading presence and almost willed it to come back. But he reminded himself of his goal and steeled his resolve. He closed off the memory and banished it to the back of his mind.

He imagined himself sitting in that sterile white room Snape had drawn him into a couple of times and suddenly he was there. Alone this time. He sighed in relief nonetheless. In this place, there were no unresolved emotions. In here no one was dying; there were no abusive Dursleys or evil Dark Lords. Even the physical pain he knew he was still experiencing couldn't reach him here. Somewhere outside, he was vaguely aware of someone trying to break through his shields once more but he found himself not caring anymore.

He imagined himself a crimson couch with large, fluffy pillows and lay down in it, waiting calmly for the potion to wear off.

Snape was decidedly pleased when Harry had been able to push him out of his mind. Even if he had tried to hold on tight, he wouldn't have been able to stay in the boy's head and so he found himself back in the chair behind his desk, looking at Harry. The boy's eyes seemed to look right through him as if he were in a deep meditative state. Even the pain he should be experiencing didn't deter the boy in the slightest.

"Alright," Snape said, "Let's see if you can keep me out this time."

There was no reaction from Harry. A good sign. Snape cast the spell and tried to invade. But where the shields stood on a shaky foundation before, they were now embedded into the walls of what seemed to be a fortress. Its gate was shut and impenetrable. Snape poked and prodded, trying to find a weakness somewhere. But eventually, he had to concede that there was no way for him to get in there again.

He stopped trying and regarded Harry carefully. He had withdrawn into himself. Normally, this would be quite excessive for simply keeping an invading presence out but while the potion was still in his system, this was probably the boy's best defence. Snape just hoped that Harry would be able to detect when it was time to allow himself his normal presence of mind again. For now, he grabbed the book he had been reading before and flipped it open again, refocusing his attention on the deciphering of ancient codes.

Harry had imagined himself a clock but it didn't do him any good. Its hands were spinning rapidly and chaotically. Sometimes they moved forward and other times they went back. They stopped randomly but conveyed no coherent message so Harry just removed it again with a wave of his hand. The books he had conjured for himself were empty. He was only able to fill the pages with information he already knew which was logical but also useless.

How much time had passed by now? Harry knew that it took an hour before the potion would wear off but it was impossible for him to tell time in here. He knew Snape had told him that time seemed to move differently in one's mind and wondered how he would know when to pull back out. The last time, Snape had somehow been aware of exactly when the potion had worn off.

A couple of times already, he had felt the push of a Legilimens, trying to make his way in, but Harry had diligently disallowed all access as was expected of him. No doubt, Snape was testing him. It was only after he felt someone unfamiliar try to make their way in that he gathered something might be wrong. Until then, he hadn't even realized that different people might feel dissimilar when trying to make their way in. It was a startling discovery. Who was doing this?

He felt the push again and decided that it was probably time anyway. He withdrew from his chamber of serenity and allowed his mind to get back in touch with his emotions and memories. He blinked a few times and refocused his attention only to find both Snape and Dumbledore sitting in front of him.

"Harry!" Snape exclaimed. The happiness that oozed from his voice confused Harry profoundly. Dumbledore seemed equally relieved.

"Oops," Harry uttered, "Did I lose track of time?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "I should say so," he said, "You were gone for nearly five hours."

"You're kidding!" Harry said, jumping up. It was only then that he noticed that his legs were asleep so he came crashing back down in his chair. "I wasn't even sure if an hour had passed or not," Harry added.

Snape groaned. "I didn't think you would close yourself off," he said, "Otherwise I would have agreed on a signal with you."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I really didn't mean to worry you."

"What made you decide to come out again?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"When you tried to break my shields, I knew it wasn't' dad's presence," Harry said honestly. He didn't notice the twinkling in Dumbledore's eyes increase in ferocity. "I didn't recognise you so I thought something was wrong."

"Foolish child," Snape said but Harry recognised the fondness in his voice.

"I'm sorry," he said again, "I honestly didn't realize."

"Well, it would appear that you've made some fantastic progress today, my boy," Dumbledore praised proudly, "It would appear to me that you're nearly there."

Snape sighed. "I can't use that potion again though."

"Why not?" Harry asked, "In the end, it wasn't so bad."

Snape chuckled. "No, because you withdrew into yourself. In any case, the toxicity in the undiluted version hasn't left your body yet and won't for a while. Giving you another dose might cause you permanent damage."

"I daresay you won't need it anymore anyway," Dumbledore said. He put a comforting hand on Snape's shoulder and smiled at him. "I suggest you and Harry eat something. You must both be positively famished."

"I'm just very thirsty," Harry suddenly noted.

"Another side effect of the potion," Snape said evenly, already pouring Harry a glass of water. He handed it to his son and turned his attention to Dumbledore. "Thank you for the assistance, Albus. I'll make sure to educate Harry on the use of exclusion."

"I know you will, Severus," Dumbledore said knowingly, "Should you need me, you know where to find me. Good night to you both."

"Good night," Snape replied but Harry was still gulping down the glass of water and soon Dumbledore had disappeared through the floo.

Snape summoned a house-elf and ordered dinner for both of them before directing his attention to Harry.

"You gave me quite the scare, you know," he said.

"It was only for a few hours," Harry replied, "I'm fine."

Snape groaned. "I know you're _fine_, Harry. I just wasn't sure if you knew how to restore the connection to your mind by yourself and I couldn't get in to show you."

"I hope you're not saying I'm _too_ good at Occlumency now," Harry sighed. Food appeared on Snape's desk and Harry felt his mouth water. He hadn't even noticed that he had become hungry.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Of course not," he said, "You simply need more information. You clearly didn't tether yourself to your mind when you disconnected yourself."

"What?" Harry asked, holding his hand in front of his mouth to keep Snape from seeing the chewed up food inside.

"Charming," Snape sneered. He cut into his own food and waited a bit.

"A tether," he finally said, "binds you to your mind when you retreat as you did. You can use it to check on the mind you're occupying which is usually your own."

"Oh," Harry replied, "And how do I create that tether?"

"You form it the same way you formed those shields, "Snape said easily, "Once you know it's supposed to be there, it's easy to create."

"Can I practice it?" Harry asked.

"Perhaps next time," Snape replied, "It's getting to be very late and I'm exhausted."

Harry grinned. "Can't imagine why."

Snape shot him a devastating glare but Harry smiled cheekily.

"I will admit that you made tremendous progress tonight though," Snape said coldly, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Harry said hopefully.

"Soon," Snape said, "Very soon."

Harry sighed contently, tearing off another piece of bread. "That's great," he said, "I can't wa-" he stifled a yawn, "- wait."

"Finish your food, Harry," Snape said softly, "You need to go to sleep soon. It's still a school night."

Harry chuckled. "Yes," he said tiredly, "Sleep does sound good. Can I stay here tonight?"

Snape rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Alright," he said, "Just don't make a habit out of it. Your friends would have my hide if you do."

Harry nodded, unsuccessfully trying to pierce a pea with his fork. He felt himself nodding off already and was barely able to stop himself from falling asleep into his plate.

Snape sighed as he watched the unbecoming display. "Go to bed, Harry," he said, "You can eat more at breakfast tomorrow." If the Potions Master was entirely honest with himself, he too felt about ready to collapse. He vanished the plates of food that had barely been touched.

"Okay," Harry murmured, "I'll sleep right here." He put his head on his arms, falling asleep right then and there on the desk.

Snape regarded his exhausted child wistfully and brushed his fringe out of his face, his touch soft and caring. "You'll be the death of me, child," he whispered fondly before tiredly running a hand through his own hair. Steeling himself, he got to his feet and lifted Harry out of the chair by means of a hover charm. With his wand out, he floated Harry over to his bed, drawing back the blankets before lowering Harry onto the mattress. With another wave of his wand, he transfigured Harry's clothes into nightwear.

Snape pulled the blankets up to Harry's chin and watched as he snuggled into his pillow. When asleep, the boy still looked so much younger than he actually was. Snape felt a pang of sorrow knowing how many years in the boy's life he had squandered by being distant and cruel. And so many more years were wasted that he didn't even know the child. If only Lily could have loved him back. In a different world – a better world – Harry could have been his from the start.

With a silent sigh, Snape turned off the light; cast one last glance Harry's way and closed the door ever so softly, leaving the boy to his dreams.

* * *

Harry awoke the next morning to the smell of breakfast and wondered for a moment if Ron had snuck food into the tower for him. He suddenly started as he remembered where he was, sitting upright in his bed. He glanced around and shook his head at himself when he realized he was in Snape's chambers again. He didn't even remember getting to bed.

He glanced down and saw that he was wearing black nightwear that was most certainly not his style. Yup. Snape had definitely tucked him in. And yet, he wasn't as mortified by that as he once had been. He stretched his arms, groaning as he did and got out of bed and out of the room.

He found Snape reading the paper while he was drinking a cup of coffee. A small assortment of breakfast foods littered the table but Snape wasn't eating yet.

"We simply have to stop meeting like this," Harry joked. Snape peered from behind his paper and gave Harry an appraising look. When he seemed satisfied he smirked and gestured towards the chair next to him.

"Since you made yourself at home already, why don't you help yourself to some food as well," he said.

"You didn't _have_ to let me stay here, you know," Harry said cheerfully as he cut open a roll.

"What could I do when you practically begged me to?" Snape said evenly, "And then you fell asleep on my desk. You were practically purring like a kitten."

"I was not," Harry objected though not as vehemently as he once would have. "You just didn't want me to leave. In fact, you would probably move me here permanently if you could find a good excuse."

Snape snorted. "And have a messy Gryffindor disturb my peaceful mornings?" he asked sardonically, "Where do I sign up?"

"You call _me_ messy?" Harry asked, "You can't even keep your bookshelves in order."

"What?" Snape asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Harry peered at the misbehaving bookshelf. "Honestly, putting '_Moste Potente Potions'_ in the middle of those Herbology books seems off, doesn't it?"

Snape followed Harry's gaze and muttered in annoyance under his breath as he got up to fix the discrepancy. Harry smiled knowingly, stealing the newspaper to see if anything of import happened.

There were more muggle killings and disappearances happening. Nothing near Hermione's family just yet though.

"Who do you think is doing this?" Harry asked when Snape took his seat again.

"I have my suspicions," Snape said, "But I will not be sharing those with you."

"Why not?" Harry whined childishly.

Snape frowned at him. "Would you like some cheese to go with that whine?"

Harry sneered and took a bite out of his sandwich. "Keeping secrets from me never works, you know," he said cleverly, "I always find out one way or another. And without the proper context, I might do something you might consider to be dangerous."

"You are incorrigible sometimes, do you know that?" Snape asked in mock anger, "How many Death Eaters do you need to defeat before you're satisfied?"

"All but one," Harry replied easily, winking at Snape cheekily.

"If you're not careful, I'll recruit Ms Granger to keep an eye on you," Snape said, "Tell her to let me know whenever you put a toe out of line."

Harry snorted. "Like she would listen."

"Perhaps not entirely," Snape replied casually, "But I have my ways."

"Are you implying you would Legilimise her?" Harry asked easily, "Because I don't believe it for one second."

"When did I stop instilling fear in you?" Snape growled.

"I think Alex had a lot to do with that," Harry smiled fondly.

"Meddling muggle," Snape muttered, "Now finish your breakfast. Classes are almost starting."

Harry responded by rapidly stuffing himself with the scrambled eggs he had piled onto his plate. Snape rolled his eyes and went back to reading his newspaper, scanning the page that reported an increase in muggles admitted to St. Mungo's.

It would seem that even with the Dark Lord gone, dark activity was still happening all around them. With a sigh, he finished his breakfast.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Since Harry was basically told that he would be able to get started on his potion soon, he became increasingly anxious to go to his next Occlumency lesson. He was nearly there and he honestly couldn't wait.

And yet, it wasn't until the next weekend that Harry received a note from Snape. He was brewing some blood replenishing potion for the infirmary while Hedwig snoozed on his shoulder when the glow of Harry's cuff startled him somewhat. He finished his stirring pattern and looked at the message.

"_Come to my quarters."_

Harry frowned. It was very short and to the point, even for Snape. He looked at his potion and sighed. It was probably for the best that he didn't keep the man waiting. He put a stasis spell on the cauldron and brought Hedwig back over to her perch.

"Will you keep an eye out for me, girl?" he said, "No one is to touch the potion, alright?"

Hedwig hooted softly in response and Harry stroked her feathers a couple of times before leaving. If he was lucky, this would be about Occlumency. It was a good thing that he was already in the dungeons. He took a couple of right turns and one left before finding himself in front of that familiar door again. He opened it and walked inside, finding Snape sitting in the middle of the room. The furniture was swept to the sides again which gave Harry pause. Why would Snape think that necessary again?

"Severus?" Harry said, disturbing the man's train of thought. He looked up and fixed Harry with a rather grim stare. Harry frowned but automatically stepped forward to sit in front of the man.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Snape regarded him for a short while before replying. "You are very close to mastering Occlumency," Snape said evenly. His voice was devoid of all emotion and gave Harry the shudders. When was the last time he had talked to Harry that way? "I've been thinking about what I would need to do to get you to cross that line. To give you that final nudge."

Harry swallowed nervously but nodded.

"As I've explained before, using the 'Drink of Despair' is out of the question and will be for a very long time," Snape continued stoically, "Which doesn't leave me with a whole lot of options."

Harry wanted to reply with a joke or a sardonic comment to lighten the mood but he didn't dare to. He knew that right now, Snape would not appreciate those kinds of efforts. So once more, he simply nodded.

"In fact, I only have one option left," Snape said, a sense of finality in his voice, "I need to attack your mind."

Harry blinked. "As in, really attack me?" Harry asked, "With the intention to do damage?"

"Exactly so," Snape replied. "You are a student that learns exceptionally well when under stress. Your abilities develop as you need them. Not only that, but we've reached a stage in your training that cannot be overcome without experience."

"But why you?" Harry asked, not looking forward to being attacked by his father. "Why can't Dumbledore do it?"

"Professor Dumbledore – while a powerful and accomplished Occlumens – has not ever used his skills of the mind to attack someone," Snape explained, "He is fully capable of sneaking into someone's mind to look for thoughts and memories without the victim ever realizing he was there. But he could never be as forceful as you would need him to be."

Harry frowned as he averted his gaze to look at his hands. There were potion stains on them.

"Harry," Snape said, his voice somewhat softer. "I will remind you one last time that you don't need to do this. You can always decide to change your research though I must admit that it would be very useful for you to master Occlumency."

Harry shivered in the cold dungeon air. He noticed that there was no fire burning in the hearth.

"What are you going to do exactly?" Harry asked quietly.

"I will assault your mind," Snape explained. "I will attempt to bring forth the most terrible of memories and thoughts as well as fabricate my own. You are supposed to fight me. Keep me out. Unravel my fabrications and tethers before they draw you in."

Harry's chest grew tighter as he considered Snape's words. He really didn't want to do this but on the other hand, he simply _had_ to master Occlumency.

"Do you need time to consider?" Snape asked.

Harry shook his head. If he took the time to think about this, he would probably only grow more and more hesitant to go through with it. He could already hear Hermine's voice, telling him that it was a bad idea and that there just had to be another way.

"I'll do it," Harry said. His voice was trembling and his palms were sweaty. If this would have been an actual duel, Harry wouldn't even mind if Snape attacked to injure. Because he was confident in his own abilities. But _this_ truly scared him.

"Very well," Snape said, getting up from the floor and taking out his wand. "Rise," he said, "This is a duel, not a tea party."

Begrudgingly, Harry got up from the floor and faced Snape. The man's eyes were cold and dark, not a speck of emotion betraying his thoughts. Harry did his best to do the same and cleared his mind.

"Legilimens!"

It was almost as if Snape physically punched him, that time. Harry stumbled a few steps back but did his best to stand his ground. His shields were still holding strong. He fixed Snape with a defiant glare, spreading his legs somewhat so his stance felt more solid.

Snape flicked his wand and Harry felt that same blow again. Reflexively, he raised his arm but this time, that would not help him. His shields didn't falter, though and Harry wondered when Snape would become serious.

Another wand flick and another blow. Harry knew what was coming and endured the hit unflinchingly this time. He checked his shields and knew that Snape hadn't even scratched them. He couldn't stop himself from smirking.

"I think it's time you become serious," he taunted, "Because you're not getting through."

Snape's expression remained unchanged. His emotions were clearly walled off and the man exuded nothing but his well-known persona. One of cool collectedness. Harry's smile faltered somewhat but he remained focused, awaiting the next blow.

Just when he thought that this was going to be nothing more than a test of his own endurance, he became aware of a sharp pain near his temple. He frowned and touched the spot with his hand, only to encounter unblemished skin.

"Damn," he murmured when he realized Snape was trying to get in. He focused his attention on strengthening the wall again when he was hit with another blow. Harry stumbled somewhat closer to the stone dungeon wall and before he could regain his balance, another blow connected, followed by another. And another.

Soon, Harry was backed up against the wall, holding himself up with one hand.

"Just a moment," he breathed but Snape didn't relent. He took a few menacing steps towards Harry, swishing his wand at his target. Harry braced himself but couldn't keep part of his shields from shattering. He was surprised at how much it hurt and gasped when he became aware of the pain.

Snape had gotten in. His presence was familiar yet much darker than it had ever been. He was no longer a subtle hitchhiker in Harry's mind but rather a powerful intruder that relished in kicking in doors and smashing windows as he blazed through.

Harry tried throwing him out. He tried catching him but Snape was faster.

Suddenly, he was thrown in a memory of his childhood, practically falling as he landed hard in his own mind.

"You're a worthless freak!" Vernon yelled as he lifted Harry's head by his hair. He couldn't have been more than five. "You're as useless as your parents were. Why don't you just crawl into a ditch and die?"

"Please Uncle," Harry heard himself plead, "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

When Vernon's fist connected with his jaw, he could feel the splitting pain that accompanied the breaking of bone. He cried.

"You dare cry," Vernon snarled and he threw Harry into the cupboard. "Stay in there until you're done snivelling, freak. Or I'll _really_ give you something to whine about."

And then he was engulfed by the darkness of his cupboard.

The scene swirled and Harry was thrown into the graveyard, the dead body of Cedric lying beside him. His wand was in his hand and Voldemort was in front of him, brandishing his own.

"_Stop it,"_ Harry thought, "_This isn't real_."

If he had expected Snape to respond, he was sorely disappointed. It was very clear that Snape was not his friend right now. And Harry could not consider him as such.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry dodged the curse and hid behind a gravestone. Desperately, he calmed himself, searching for the mist that hung around the memory. He ignored the laughter of the death eaters around him and tried to focus when Voldemort suddenly stood before him.

"Crucio," he hissed.

That all too familiar blinding pain coursed through Harry's body. He tried to remember that none of it was real but his body seemed very convinced that it was. Eventually, he couldn't help himself. He screamed. It was then that Voldemort lifted the curse and sneered down at him.

Harry breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, trying to forget his surroundings.

"_Stop_," he thought, willing the memory to stop playing. Soon, the sounds around him stilled and he opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by the mists of his mind. Gratefully, he used them as he had learned and shaped the way out of the memory. It faded and Harry found himself in darkness.

For a moment, he wondered if he was back in the cupboard but then he realized that he wasn't in a memory. Another blow hit him and Harry was aware of his body stumbling and his elbow knocking into something hard. Possibly the wall. He dared not divert his attention though.

It was time to find the intruder and kick him out.

Another sharp pain near the back of his head notified Harry of where Snape was. He was vaguely aware of the man ripping through his memories in what appeared to be a blind fury. He tore viciously at the ones that were buried away. It almost felt as if the man were tearing Harry's skin if such a thing was possible.

Harry quickly focused on the area that was under attack and resurfaced there. The unwelcome presence didn't halt his actions and kept cutting through everything that made up Harry.

Harry focused all of his attention on Snape's consciousness and willed it backwards. As soon as he did, the dark presence was flung into the near distance and the sharp pain subsided. Harry regarded his adversary carefully, wondering what he was supposed to do next.

Another blow from the physical realm rattled him and he lost focus for just a split second. It had been enough, though.

Harry found himself expelled from the battle in his mind and fell roughly to the floor. Before he realized what happened, he expelled the contents of his stomach all over the floor. He felt shaky and drained, trying to right himself on wobbly arms. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked up at Snape.

"Please stop," he urged but he found no mercy in Snape's eyes. The man flicked his wand and Harry flinched away but to no avail. He was lurched back into the depths of his own mind and gasped sharply when more pain hammered his brain.

Suddenly, Harry found himself engulfed in a dark blue that was almost black. The air around him trembled and moved in the pattern of waves if more slowly. The ground was not solid enough to support Harry's weight and soon his feet were swallowed by it as if he stood in quicksand. He couldn't break free.

Dark mists swirled all around him, teasing him. Stroking him, gently. Where it touched him, it burned him. Feelings of hopeless overcame him. He was reminded of how unloved he truly was. No one wanted him. It had gone so far that the Professor that hated him the most of all ended up adopting him. He was a freak. A tragedy. He was the reason his parents died. The reason Cedric died. Sirius. Grief weighed on him heavily, pulling him down.

Harry fell to his hands and knees and was only vaguely aware of the darkness swallowing them up.

'Nobody wants you, boy,' echoed the voice of his uncle.

'You bring death wherever you go,' Petunia shrieked in horror.

'I wish you were more like your father,' Sirius said woefully.

'You are an arrogant and spoiled little brat,' Snape sneered.

'Just die.'

'Die.'

'Why can't you die already?'

'People would be better off with you gone.'

'Die.'

'Go die in a ditch, why don't you?'

"_I want to die_."

"…"

"…"

"…"

'I really admire you, do you know that?'

'Thank you, Harry."

'I am proud of you.'

'We're with you, Harry. No matter what happens.'

'The ones that love us never really leave us.'

'I love you, son.'

Determination flooded Harry's mind and the darkness that had surrounded him only moments before, now quickly turned light as a shockwave seemed to emanate from Harry's being. His limbs were no longer being sucked up by the ground and he rose again, empowered by the memories of his loved ones.

He felt another blast connect with his physical form and thought he tasted blood.

"_Get out,"_ Harry growled. He felt his mind connect roughly with the invading presence. He struggled with Snape's powerful existence as it pushed back against him.

BANG

Harry wasn't sure where the sound had come from but didn't think it came from within. He was vaguely aware of a sharp pain in his head that wasn't there before.

"_I said get out_!" Harry snarled again, not sure if he said the words aloud. He put all the strength he could muster into one final push and was thrown back into reality as was Snape. And yet, he wasn't entirely gone. Harry could still feel a part of Snape hiding in the back of his mind. A tether if you will. Harry narrowed his eyes as he stared Snape down. The infuriating man still didn't show a shred of emotion.

"I know you're still in here," Harry said icily, "Are you going to withdraw or do I need to drag you out?"

A flick of Snape's wand was his answer and Harry felt another blow. This time it seemed to come from within his head and he grabbed at it as if to stop it from splitting open. It hurt so much. The pain was practically on par with the Cruciatus curse.

"AAAAAH, you BASTARD," Harry screamed. But Snape didn't relent. Soon, Harry found himself kneeling on the ground, still grabbing his head as he folded into himself. Whatever had remained in his stomach, found its way to the floor then.

Harry crashed to the ground, black dots marring his vision as he tried desperately to ignore the pain, to ignore his own screams. He didn't think he would last much longer before he would literally go insane.

It took every bit of willpower he still had but he occluded inside himself and re-joined Snape on the battlefield that was his own mind. This time, he would get rid of him. This time, he would prevail. He had to.

He ignored Snape, for now, biting through the pain. He knew his physical form was writhing on the floor in agony but he calmed his mind. He sought sanctuary.

He found himself back in that white room, the crimson couch still waiting for him. The pain was gone and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He had created a tether in the form of an old fashioned television set and sat down stoically to have a direct view of the havoc that was being wreaked upon his mind.

Emotionless, he watched as Snape tore through another memory, attempting to implement it. To alter it. With a nod of his head, Harry made the memory disappear and watched as Snape stood there in apparent confusion. But not for long. He moved forward, attempting to cause more damage but Harry made a gesture as if he were roughly opening a curtain. The form of Snape was propelled backwards and was flung into an imaginary wall.

He wrenched himself free and stood there for a second as if he was trying to concentrate. He was most likely looking for Harry. When he looked up to meet Harry's gaze, the boy knew he had been found. And yet, he didn't fear the dark man. Not in here.

Without faltering, he started to form a ball with his hands, his eyes never leaving Snape as the man seemed to be focusing. Staring.

Slowly, he brought his cupped hands closer together until he noticed the form of Snape crouch down, lifting an arm above his head as if to shield himself. Harry did not relent for Snape had not done so either. His hands came even closer together and the form of Snape became smaller and smaller as it curled into itself. Harry didn't want to go too far. He simply wanted to push Snape to his limits.

And then, suddenly, Snape's presence disappeared and he was gone. Harry strengthened his shields and double-checked that there was no more trace of the Potions Master to be found. Soon, he was satisfied that there wasn't.

He thought it was all over when he felt the walls of his minds quake and shudder under the heavy assault that was brought forth by Snape. But Harry knew, he would not be breached. No more.

Calmly, he turned off the old television that was his tether and exited the room that had saved him once more. When the assault still posed no problems - despite Snape's furious attempts - Harry thought it safe enough to leave his own mind and face the master Legilimens once more.

When Harry became aware of his surroundings, he found himself to still be lying on the floor. His body ached all over and he felt sick to his stomach. Yet he could not deny the sense of calm that had come over him and was still there.

He forced himself to stand up, ignoring his wobbly knees and faced Snape. The man was staring him down expressionlessly and Harry returned his gaze as stoically as he could. Snape flicked his wand again and again and while Harry could feel the force of those blows hit his walls mercilessly, he knew they would not collapse. He simply stood his ground and showed no more reaction.

After a few more very tense minutes, Snape finally lowered his wand, sighing deeply as he rubbed his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Harry stammered, trying his best not to collapse onto himself.

Snape shot him a disbelieving look and summoned a chair to stand behind his son.

"Sit down," he ordered. Harry didn't need to be told twice and basically crashed into the chair, happy to be somewhat comfortable again. Snape vanished the vomit that stained his floor and summoned his own chair, sitting down opposite of Harry.

And so they sat in an uncomfortable silence until Snape spoke again.

"I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "That was… harder than I imagined it would be."

Harry snorted. "I'll say," he said, "I'll take being tortured by Voldemort any day over this." He touched the back of his head that still felt somewhat sore and winced when it stung. Confused, he drew back his hand to find it stained with blood.

"You hit your head against the wall," Snape explained. Non-verbally, he summoned a couple of potions from his storage room. "I'll clean it up. Just turn your chair somewhat so I might reach the wound."

Harry obeyed and sat there as Snape started cleaning the wound. "It doesn't look that bad," Snape murmured, "You'll be fine by tomorrow."

"I never realized just how much you were holding back before," Harry suddenly said, "In our previous Occlumency lessons, I mean."

"I doubt you would have learned much if I had attacked you like this since the beginning," Snape said evenly.

"I'd probably be dead," Harry said truthfully. Snape halted his movement for a second but continued soon after.

"I would never kill you, Harry," Snape said softly.

"Perhaps not," Harry replied, happy that he wasn't looking into Snape's eyes at that moment. "But for a moment, I wanted to do it myself."

"I know," Snape whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Were you the one who… you, know."

"Brought forth the more pleasant memories?" Snape finished Harry's question. "No, I did not. I was playing my role as the villain in this particular battle. Aiding you in that manner would have been detrimental to your progress."

"Oh," Harry replied, "Then what happened?"

"Your mind defended itself," Snape explained, "It sprung into action when you felt at your absolute lowest. You know yourself best of all, even when you're unaware of it. Your mind knew how to bring you back from the brink of despair and thankfully did so."

"Why has it never done that before?" Harry murmured bitterly.

"This is not a normal response, Harry," Snape said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder, "This is the response of an Occlumens. Of one who has been in contact with his mind and is aware of its inner workings. And it only worked out that way because these feelings were no longer what you normally felt. Had you still been as depressed, your mind would not have picked up the anomaly. But now, it protected you."

Harry drew a shuddering breath as he stared at his quivering hands. Some of his nails were bloody and chipped as if he had been clawing at a hard surface. The floor perhaps? He had been in so much pain.

"You're scary powerful," Harry suddenly blurted out, "Why don't you just use Legilimency to do in with your enemies? They wouldn't stand a chance."

Snape chuckled wryly. "While powerful, it is not something I like to do at all. Not only is it very straining, but it is also an incredibly emotional ordeal. Especially when dealing with someone who has been through as much as you have."

"I'm sorry," Harry said automatically.

Snape moved his chair to sit in front of Harry again and looked him in the eye. "Don't say that, silly child," he said, "You've done nothing wrong. In fact, you've done splendidly."

Even when still suffering from the side effects of the vicious attack, Harry's face lit up. "Do you mean to say –"

"Yes," Snape said, "You've passed this test rather admirably. I hereby grant you permission to start brewing that potion. There are however a few conditions."

Harry frowned slightly. "Okay," he said carefully, "And what are those?"

"First of all, I will be testing your shields regularly. Occlumency is a skill you need to maintain and if I find them lacking, I will halt your progress on the potion until I deem it safe again."

"Sounds reasonable," Harry said, "When will you be testing me?"

"I will be testing you randomly to ensure that your grasp is still firm," Snape explained, "I will also speak with Dumbledore and ask him to do the same."

"It will be nothing like today though, right?" Harry asked, shuddering at the thought.

"No," Snape sighed, "Nothing like today. Not ever again."

"Good," Harry said in relief, "So, what else?"

"Whenever you test the potion, I need to be present," Snape said, "I will not have you drinking it with no one to help you should something go wrong."

"That's fair," Harry said.

"Those are my two conditions," Snape said, "I'm sure even you will be able to follow those rules."

"Thanks," Harry said, flashing Snape a smile that he did not expect to receive after the trying ordeal they had both endured that day. It only proved just how much Harry trusted Snape. If he was entirely honest with himself, he knew he had nearly been on the breaking point himself. It was only lucky that Harry had managed to save himself when he did or Snape would have stopped the test altogether. Perhaps, he should learn to trust Harry a bit more as well. After all, the boy kept surprising him and would probably continue to do so.

* * *

_I know, I know. I can be somewhat cruel at times._  
_Please please, please leave me a review if you would? It's my only form of payment. Any kind if appreciated. Even if it's just one or two words!_

_Since trafic in the weekends is slow, I won't be updating until Monday at the earliest. But that's not that far away, now is it?_

_Oh, and to all those who celebrate it, I wish you a happy thanksgiving._


	21. Chapter 21

_Thank you all so much for your reviews! It's really nice to know how many people out there are still reading and enjoying this fic. You've made me very happy and I hope I can keep meeting your standards. Please do enjoy the next chapter, as promised._

* * *

**Chapter 21**

If one had thought that Harry's last Occlumency lesson was a reason for him and Snape to be standoffish towards one another, they would be wrong. For some reason, the harsh experience had forged an understanding between the two that brought them even closer together.

While Harry absolutely loved working on potions, he loved it, even more, to do so besides Snape.

"I'll let you in on a secret," Snape told Harry as the boy was about to start crushing his marigold flowers.

Harry looked up from what he was doing and watched as Snape filled a bowl with lukewarm water.

"Even the freshest of potions ingredients have had to endure at least a few hours outside of their natural habitat," Snape explained, "Most flowers – for example – will have already started dying since they are no longer connected to their stem."

Snape took the marigold flowers from Harry and carefully placed them into the bowl. "If you allow them to soak up some water before you process them, the result will be that much better with less chance of outside contamination."

Harry watched as the petals of the flowers – that had started to curl slightly – straightened out again. The dryness that had begun to set in was vanishing before his eyes and the colour of the pollen tubes seemed to be restoring. "There is no way that you made this happen with just water," Harry noted.

"All it takes is lukewarm water and perhaps just a touch of magic," Snape said.

"I thought magic could really mess up a potion," Harry noted.

"It can," Snape agreed, "When used callously at least. Most of my students – even those in my N.E.W.T. class – are unable to fully grasp the effects magic can have on potions so I just forbid them from using any besides the mandatory spells. However -"

With a flick of his wand, Snape removed the revigorated flowers from the water, carefully placing them in front of his charge. The petals seemed to throb with life as the droplets slid down from them. They were so much more beautiful than they had been only moments before.

" – The right amount of magic, precisely distributed among the ingredients that can benefit from them can produce wonderful results."

Harry smiled fondly as he listened to Snape's explanation. The Potions Master didn't often explain new things to Harry anymore but when he did, it was always with a careful reverence that motivated Harry into doing even better.

"That's amazing," Harry said, "And so subtle, too."

Snape chuckled. "Sometimes, the most useful and beautiful magic is not obvious or dazzling. Sometimes, all it takes is a small push."

"Do you think I could do that too?" Harry asked hopefully.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have shown you this," Snape replied, "You have a very firm grasp on your magic. I'm certain you don't require me to tell you how talented you are. All you need to learn is to be more precise, like a surgeon handling a scalpel."

Harry looked at Snape funnily. "It's easy to forget that you grew up in a muggle neighbourhood once we're back at Hogwarts," he said, "But then you say things like that."

"And?" Snape asked, "If the analogy works and helps you understand, I see no reason not to use it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, in any case," Harry said, grabbing his mortar and pestle to start crushing the flowers. "Will you practice this with me later?"

"As long as no one earns themselves detention with me within the next hour or so, I would be amenable to that."

After Harry was done crushing the flowers, he grabbed the vulture tongues he had ordered, carefully slicing them to bits.

"Christmas is almost around the corner," Harry pointed out.

"So it is," Snape replied casually as he went back to stirring a potion in one cauldron while he added parsley to another.

"Are we going back to Spinner's End this year?" Harry asked. Hedwig had flown over to his station again and was now sitting comfortably on his cauldron. He hadn't started the fire yet since he was still preparing his ingredients.

"That was my intention," Snape said, "Unless you would rather stay here?"

"No, I want to go," Harry replied, now sliding the white clovers closer to him. "I was just wondering – since no one is really trying to kill me this year – if I could have my friends over for Christmas. Will that water work for my other flowers?"

"Yes, it will," Snape replied, "And I don't think your friends' families will want their children away from them for Christmas. Is my company not sufficient for you?"

Harry flushed somewhat, fearing that he had insulted his father and sputtered his denial: "Of course it is," he said, "I didn't mean it like that! I just thought –"

Harry scowled when he caught sight of the amused smirk on Snape's face. "Git," he growled.

"If you wish for it, you can ask them," Snape finally said, "But I wouldn't count on it. Especially not when it comes to Mr Weasley."

Harry carefully lowered the white clovers into the water and watched as they too grew full of life once more.

"It's a shame you can't do this with people," he murmured.

"Of course you can," Snape said evenly. "Those flowers haven't died yet. They just needed a hand."

"Can I burn them with magic or should I use a normal fire?" Harry asked once he retrieved the white clovers.

"You want to burn them?" Snape frowned.

"Yes," Harry said, "The ashes of the flowers should be absorbed by the potion rather quickly."

"Hmm," Snape said, "While true, don't you think they might spread out too quickly in the form of ashes? This might cause a delay in the reaction which I assume you wish to avoid."

"Er…" Harry hesitated. He hadn't thought of that.

Snape looked at the rest of Harry's ingredients and grabbed the jar of honey that stood among them. "If you're planning on using honey, why not coat the ashes with it?" he suggested, "That way, they'll stick together long enough and you won't need to readjust your calculations."

"Brilliant," Harry smiled, "That's why you're the Master, I suppose."

"What are you going to use for a base?" Snape asked as he went back to his own cauldrons once more.

"For now, I'm going to use plain water," Harry said, "Perhaps laced with rose water from the Rosa Mystica but I want to try without it first."

"I advise you to try without it at first as well," Snape said, "I fear that _that_ particular flower might be too specific for your wishes."

"Perhaps," Harry said, finally filling his cauldron with water and placing it on a strong fire. "Well, wish me luck."

"You don't need luck," Snape snorted, "You have me."

Harry playfully rolled his eyes but smiled fondly.

* * *

Roughly two hours later, Harry was staring into his cauldron, his expression a mix of exhilaration and apprehension.

"How is it coming along?" Snape asked. He was drying his hands with a cloth, having just cleaned up his work station.

"It should be nearly done, but I get the feeling that something is missing," Harry said. He grabbed his notes once more and checked them over, clicking his tongue as he thought things over. Suddenly, he was disturbed by Hedwig's screech. Harry looked at her as she was nudging a cloth bag that contained bay leaves.

"Ugh, I'm so stupid," Harry suddenly said, grabbing the bag. "Thanks, Hedwig. I can't believe I nearly forgot the bay leaves."

He carefully picked out three bay leaves, inspecting them for any anomalies before tossing them in. As they dissolved into the slightly acidic concoction, the potion turned into an emerald green.

"Of course it would look Slytherin green," Harry snorted.

"Let it cool off for a while," Snape said, "I realize you're looking forward to testing this potion but it wouldn't do to have you scalding your throat in the process."

"What am I, five?" Harry said, "I know not to drink boiling liquids, dad."

"Oh, cheeky now are we?" Snape said, raising a sardonic eyebrow. "Just sit down and I can show you how to imbue magic responsibly."

Eager to learn, Harry took a seat as requested and sat attentively with folded hands as he watched Snape refill the bowl with water.

"At first, you should practice with your wand," Snape said, "But the result is much nicer if you manage the magic wandlessly. It is far more natural that way and the ingredients will react better to it."

"Now," Snape said, "Every creature alive oozes magic, even muggles, animals and plants."

Snape laughed at Harry's surprised look but held up a hand to stop his question. "I know how it sounds but listen. Magic is imbued within our own lifeforce. It tells our bodies to do mundane things like healing wounds, growing hair and the likes. Have you ever heard of mothers suddenly being able to lift heavy loads when their child is in danger? Loads they would normally never be able to lift? That is made possible with that same magic, even if very rarely."

"Only a select few people are actually born with enough magical power to control and use it. But when we use magic to – for example – heal a muggle, or even use the Cruciatus curse on them, we make use of the magic already inside of them and make our own react to it. The same happens when we make a plant grow or befriend an otherwise vicious animal."

"How about an object?" Harry asked, "We can transform a needle into a matchstick and I'm certain neither of those is alive."

"That is magic you perform on an object, not with," Snape explained, "A reparo would not work on a broken bone just like an Episkey wouldn't work on glasses. The one works with the magic in a being while the other just makes things happen to an object. You can't invade an object's mind or torture it with the Cruciatus. You can't befriend a rock."

"So there is no one born without it?" Harry asked.

"There are some," Snape said, "These people are exceedingly rare and are often used as guinea pigs by wizards and witches when found. They are never able to perform magic but they are also impervious to all three Unforgivables as well as most other spells."

"So you can't harm them with magic?" Harry asked in amazement.

"You can," Snape replied thoughtfully, "But not directly. A cutting curse will not work but an Incendio will because the fire you create is all natural as soon as it leaves your wand. The same goes for blasting curses and the like. As long as the effect on the person's body is derived from the spell instead of a direct effect."

"But what if –"

"Harry, we have gone way off subject," Snape suddenly chuckled, "My point is that everyone has innate magic and it is this magic that I need you to control."

"Why?" Harry asked curiously.

"Because it communicates with the surrounding life forms on their level."

"I think I get it," Harry said, feeling a sense of profound connection after learning this new bit of information. It was almost overwhelming. "That's amazing."

"The meditative skills you learned while practising Occlumency will help greatly as you attempt to use said magic which is why I have no doubt that you'll be able to do this.

"How do I find where it is?" Harry asked.

"If you will allow me to, I can join you in your mind once more and guide you to where this magic usually sleeps." Snape sounded doubtful, as if he didn't think Harry would ever allow him to come that close again. But the boy surprised him, as he often did.

"Sounds great," Harry said honestly, sounding somewhat relieved, "If you'll help me find it, I'm sure I can get the hang of this."

Snape smiled and glanced over at Harry's potion, noticing that it had stopped smoking.

"It would appear that your potion cooled down. Would you prefer to try that first or would you rather we venture into your mind before that?"

Quickly, Harry got up from his seat. "Oh, I'm testing my potion first," he said, "I've been waiting for months to do this."

Snape chuckled. "I thought as much. Go on then."

Harry carefully measured what he deduced would be one portion and filled a vial with it. He noticed that Snape did the same and raised an eyebrow at him but Snape simply smirked as if challenging him to say something.

"Well, bottom's up!" Harry said before downing the emerald green liquid. The first thing he noticed was that it tasted beyond foul. It was somewhat sour as if he was drinking old-sock-soup but with a hint of old cigarette buds. He grimaced and scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"Well that was the worst thing I've ever tasted," Harry groaned.

"Do you feel different?" Snape asked.

"Not really," Harry frowned. He looked at his hands to see if anything was changing, then tried taking in his surroundings as if expecting to see the ghosts of his parents walk in at any moment. Nothing happened for a while until Hedwig started screeching viciously and flew up, anxiously making her way to Snape to nestle on his shoulder.

Snape – who was sitting in a chair near the edge of the room – was slightly perturbed by the owl's sudden need for comfort but ignored it. Then the sounds began. Harry recognized the sound of wailing. It was as if it was coming from somewhere in the far distance but from multiple places at once.

Snape frowned when he too heard the sounds. Harry's potion was supposed to work on a different plain of sorts. An outer-body kind of experience if you will. Whatever was happening now, Snape was not supposed to be a part of it. Hedwig buried her head under his wing, shuffling even closer to Snape. Absentmindedly, Snape stroked her feathers reassuringly as he kept a close eye on Harry.

The wailing grew louder still and seemed to be approaching rapidly. Harry wondered if whatever he was hearing was going to collide with him and thought of seeking shelter. That was a silly thought though since he was the one that took the potion so instead, he held his wand at the ready and waited.

Even though both Snape and Harry were expecting something to happen, they both jumped when the room was suddenly swarming with ghosts. And not just any ghosts. All of the Hogwarts ghosts seemed to suddenly be converging on this exact spot.

"Severus," the bloody baron sneered, "What is the meaning of this, boy?"

"Don't look at _me_, baron," Snape replied evenly, "It's Mr Potter that summoned you all here."

"Harry!" Moaning Myrtle whined, "Why would you do that? I was quietly reliving my death in my bathroom stall when YOU RUINED IT!"

"Sorry, Myrtle," Harry said, holding up his hands in defence, "I promise this was not my intention."

"Well, I'm leaving!" Myrtle yelled and attempted to float through the ceiling when she was stopped by an invisible barrier. "Harry, let me GO!" she shrieked.

"I can't!" Harry said, "It's this potion. We'll have to wait until it wears off."

"How marvellous," the fat friar said, "It's positively wonderful to have such a young potioneer in our midst. Tell me, child, was this your intended effect?"

"Honestly," the grey lady interjected, "Intended or not, this is highly unusual and most obnoxious. I demand to be released immediately."

"That's odd," Harry said, more to himself than anyone else.

"What is, Harry?" Nick asked him kindly, showing remarkable restraint.

"I don't see Peeves anywhere," Harry said. "Isn't he a ghost?"

"Not exactly," Nick explained, "He's a manifestation. That's slightly different. He came with Hogwarts, so to speak."

"May I ask how you were all drawn here?" Harry asked, already furiously scribbling away on a piece of parchment. "Did you feel compelled to do so or did it feel more like a physical pull."

"You dare use us for your experimentation?" The bloody baron howled, "You think we haven't more important business to attend to simply because we are deceased?"

"And whose fault is that?" the Grey Lady asked, "If it weren't for you, I would not be in this mess."

"Calm down everyone," the fat friar said, "We are the resident ghosts in a school and we should be thankful that the students are trying to learn."

"I was a student myself," Myrtle complained, "But I got no help. From the living or THE DEAD!" She started wailing and hid in Harry's cauldron.

"To answer your question," Nick suddenly replied, "It felt as if I was being pulled here by a large fishing hook."

The other ghosts now started joining in and telling their own tales of how they felt they were drawn there while Harry scribbled furiously. Snape watched it all unfold while he absentmindedly stroked Hedwig, not wishing to get involved with the ghosts.

It was exactly one hour and thirteen minutes later that the first ghost noticed that it could finally leave Harry's side again. The translucent beings bid their farewells and left, the fat friar telling Harry to come to him should he be in need of spiritual assistance before he did. Exhausted, Harry sank down into a chair, vanishing the rest of his potion with a lazy flick of his wand.

"Well that was a failure," Harry groaned.

"Look at it this way," Snape said, "You did not achieve what you intended but you still created a new kind of potion."

"Oh yes, and it's so very useful too," Harry said sardonically, "Who wouldn't want to summon all ghosts within a twenty-mile radius?"

"It might be useful for clearing out haunted houses," Snape offered.

Harry made a noncommittal sound and made some more notes. "I think the white cloves were a bad idea," he said, "They probably made it so that ghosts were drawn to me instead of souls that have departed. And perhaps the vulture tongues…"

"Harry," Snape said tiredly, "You're not going to be making any progress today. You've been at it for hours and I'm sure that you're hungry."

"But if you'll just let me make this one adjustment –" Harry said, already grabbing a new piece of parchment when Hedwig nipped his fingers.

"Ow, Hedwig!" Harry admonished.

"She's telling you to listen to your teacher," Snape said evenly, a smirk on his face. "Clear your station, wash your hands and go up to eat something."

"Alright, alright," Harry chuckled, "I'm going! Can we at least practice that innate magic you were talking about?"

"Not today," Snape said, "I can see that these last hours have been draining for you. And if not, they sure have been for me."

"Old man," Harry jibed but he yelped when he was hit by a mild stinging hex.

"Brat," Snape sneered, fixing Harry with a pointed glare. Harry just shook his head at the man, packing away the remainder of his ingredients.

* * *

At dinner, Draco had joined their table again, basically stealing the entire platter of asparagus for himself. But Ron reciprocated by hoarding the potatoes.

"So did you guys notice when all the ghosts disappeared all of a sudden?" Draco asked, "Peeves had a field day without the bloody baron around to tame him."

"Oh no," Harry groaned, "What did he do?"

"He knocked over some trophy cases and got muddy footprints all over the ceiling," Ron explained, "Filch is not happy about it."

"It's a good thing that Professor Bell was there to ask him to stop," Draco said evenly.

"She managed to do that?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Ron piped up, "I mean, look at her!" He gestured quite obviously toward the high table to indicate their History teacher. "What man _wouldn't_ listen to her? Even if he is a poltergeist."

"I didn't think she was your type," Hermione said haughtily, practically glaring at her plate.

"How could you not?" Ron replied, "She's almost as beautiful as you are and nearly as smart."

"Smooth," Draco whispered when Hermione blushed. Ron winked at him.

"Anyway, about those ghosts," Harry said, "It was kind of because of my potion. Suffice to say it did not work as intended."

"You're allowed to work on it now?" Hermione asked, envy in her voice, "That's great! Does that mean you mastered Occlumency?"

"In a way," Harry said, not wanting to sound overconfident.

"So _that's_ what you were doing," Draco mumbled, "Man, you were screaming bloody murder the other night. It was scary as hell."

Harry nearly choked on his potatoes. "You heard that?" he asked incredulously.

"From the corridors nearby, yes," Draco said, not a hint of shame in his voice.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Harry asked.

"Me?" Draco asked, "Never! I simply wanted to visit my godfather. How was _I_ supposed to know that you were already there? What were you even doing in there?"

"Occlumency," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Well, it sure sounded hard-core," Draco said, "Nothing like anything I've ever practised."

"I suppose you aren't good enough to practice what I've had to just yet," Harry sneered, smirking when he caught Draco's affronted expression.

"You're joking," he said, "I'm sure I'm better than you."

"Are you?" Harry asked, "Do you get tested by Dumbledore randomly as well? Do you think you could even stop him from getting in?"

Draco's eyes widened as his eyes flashed towards the headmaster. Dumbledore smiled kindly at him when he caught his eye and Draco quickly looked away.

"Ha, he's got you there, Malfoy," Ron said.

"Shut up, Weasley," Draco growled, angrily mashing his potatoes.

"On a different note," Harry said, "What are you lot doing for Christmas? You can come to my place if you'd like."

"My mum would kill me if I did that," Ron said honestly, "Also, I'd rather not eat any limerick soup."

"I'll ask," Hermione replied, "But I honestly doubt I'm allowed to. My parents are always really happy when I'm home for the holidays, you know?"

"I'll come," Draco said easily, "If that invitation was directed at me as well, I mean."

"Of course it is!" Harry said, happy that someone accepted. Quickly, he jotted a message down on his cuff.

"_Draco's coming for Christmas!"_ Harry wrote, including the exclamation mark.

"_Marvellous_," Came the simple reply and when Harry caught Snape's deadpan expression, he couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

_I would very much appreciate it if you could throw more reviews my way! They are my only payment for what I'm doing here. Let me know what you think; what you expect and even what you would like to see! I've got some pretty good ideas out of reviews before._

_Either way, expect the next chapter tomorrow._


	22. Chapter 22

_You guys have made me so happy with all of your reviews. Thank you so much! And to all the guest reviews I couldn't reply to, it was very much appreciated as well. thank you all for your time. You made my day. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well._

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Harry was already packed and ready to go even if he wouldn't need to leave until the next evening. But he was excited to go back home and see Alex. He vaguely wondered if he should introduce Draco to him when the blonde came over and decided he might as well. If Draco was able to act civil to Hermione, he would also be able to act civil to a muggle.

With great effort, he had managed to convince Hedwig to leave the dungeons and head towards Spinner's End. If took him promising her that she would be allowed to return to the potions lab but eventually, she had nipped his finger affectionately and taken flight. It would probably do her some good to fly a longer distance. She hadn't in a while.

As for Harry, right after dinner, he found himself back in Snape's quarters for what would be the last time that year. He wasn't there for an Occlumency lesson. Not really. But Snape had promised him that they would work together to find Harry's innate magic and the sooner he was able to access it, the better. Especially if it could help him with his potion.

"For this one time, I will need you to drop your shields," Snape said as he regarded the boy sitting in front of him.

Harry smirked. He had felt the familiar push of Snape's Legilimency but wasn't about to grant the man access without him expressly asking him to first. After all, he was supposed to keep his shields up all the time and block any and all attempts of Snape to force his way in.

"Okay," Harry agreed, "Anything I should know before we get started?"

"It'll all become clear once we've entered your mind," Snape said impatiently, "Now if you don't mind, lower your shields."

Harry tried to but realized that once you know how to put up your shields, it was rather difficult to stop doing so. It was almost like swimming. When you didn't know how to, it was easy to sink to the bottom like a brick. But when you did, it was quite difficult to stop from keeping yourself afloat.

"Harry, I'm waiting," Snape said, rapping his fingers on his desk.

"I'm trying," Harry protested, "Just give me a minute."

Snape sighed. "Just imagine a doorway of sorts for me," he said, "I'll be able to find that and use it to get in."

Harry scrunched up his nose in concentration and imagined a door. Light was shining through from underneath it and he imagined the door to be usable by Snape alone.

"There you go," Snape said and suddenly, Harry felt his presence within his own mind. The sensation was odd. When they weren't perusing memories or thoughts, he wasn't entirely closed off from the outside world. Right now, he was aware of both which gave him a sense of confusion.

"Are you aware of where I am?" Snape asked.

"Of course," Harry replied.

"Join me then," Snape said, "Close your eyes if you must. It makes things easier."

Harry closed his eyes and found himself in the now very familiar depths of his own mind. He wondered if he looked like himself since he had never encountered a mirror. Snape seemed to be able to take on forms of all kind. But right now, the dour man simply looked like himself as he stood there, waiting for Harry.

"I need you to focus," Snape told him, "Focus on the sense of magic."

"How do I do that?" Harry asked.

"Do you remember the first time you held your wand?" Snape asked. Harry nodded. "That's the feeling you're looking for. I need you to think of that."

"Er…" Harry still wasn't sure. What had that been like again?

After a few moments, Snape snapped his fingers and Harry felt himself being pulled into a memory again.

"Hey!" he protested, "I thought we weren't going to do this anymore?" He almost kicked Snape out of his mind when he realized that the memory was of him trying out wands. "Oh," he said.

"One of the many benefits of being an Occlumens," Snape explained simply, "Is being able to revisit your own past to look for wisdom you might have missed."

"Wow, could I use this to pass my exams?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You could try," Snape said evenly, "But by the time you gathered the information you would need, the exam would be long over. I don't need to remind you of the altered flow of time in here."

"Right," Harry sighed.

"Here it comes," Snape pointed out when he saw Ollivander's face lit up.

"_I wonder,"_ the old man said.

"Focus on that feeling. Relive the magic flowing through your wand for the very first time."

Harry honed in on the magic he felt course through his young body and grasped it with his mind, feeling as if he had taken hold of a strong rope. He tugged at it. The memory disappeared and all of a sudden, he was surrounded by threads of light in many different colours. The most prominent colour was red. Snape – who could see what Harry was seeing – scoffed.

"Typical," he growled.

"Are you going to tell me that strand is red because I'm in Gryffindor?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Of course not," Snape replied, "That's the thread that represents offensive magic. It was only to be expected that it would be so prominent."

"And what's this one?" Harry asked as he pointed towards a deep blue one. It was so thin that it was almost not even there.

"That's definite proof that you're not a seer and that divination was a complete waste of your time," Snape said icily.

"Of course it was," Harry said soberly, "But it was easy and relaxed. Well, until Trelawney predicted my death, of course."

"Not exactly what I would call a good reason to take _any_ class," Snape said, "But since that's behind us, there's no point in arguing about it. Especially not when in the time-consuming progress of exploring your mind."

"It does seem rather mundane to discuss my curriculum while staring down at colourful strands of pulsating magic," Harry deadpanned.

"Indeed," Snape replied.

"So… what are we looking for?" Harry asked.

Snape pointed towards a brilliant white strand that seemed to be three times the size of the strand that represented seer magic. It was however not even half as strong as the red strand. Harry frowned at it.

"That's my innate magic?" he asked, "It doesn't look very powerful."

"Is power all you can think of?" Snape asked. He sighed in exasperation. "In this case, its power does not matter. It's powerful enough to make you a wizard which makes it stronger than average, to begin with. Surely, that should satisfy your need for excellence."

"Alright," Harry grumbled, "I get it. No need to get all snarky about it."

"Come," Snape said and started walking the path the magic took.

"So we just follow it?" Harry asked, traipsing behind Snape.

"Obviously," Snape sneered as he kept walking.

"And then what?"

"Harry, while I appreciate your sense of curiosity and longing for knowledge, you should realize that you'll find out soon enough if you would just be patient."

Harry rolled his eyes and looked around. They had bypassed the corridors - that resembled those of Hogwarts – some time ago and were now following a staircase downward. Around them, there were no more walls but rather a large open space with a great green sky in which fluffy clouds floated aimlessly. Among them, objects were strewn for which Harry could not think up a reason for them to be there. Like a grandfather clock and a large picnic basket. In the distance, he could see what seemed to be a playground and if he really squinted, he was sure there was a castle to be found.

"This is pretty wild," Harry snickered as he kept walking down the stairs, following close behind Snape. "Does your mind look like this as well?"

"Heaven forbid," Snape sneered.

"What's wrong with it?" Harry asked, "I kind of like it."

"Of course you like it, dunderhead. It's _your_ mind we're exploring," Snape replied coldly, "Just keep going."

"I honestly don't understand how we're still going," Harry said, completely undeterred by Snape's less than amicable behaviour, "My mind can't possibly be _this_ big."

"I too would not expect the limited capacity of your mind to stretch as far as this yet here we are," Snape said.

"If you won't stop being a prat, I'll kick you out," Harry warned.

"And deprive me of the sight of your horrifyingly sweet fantasies?" Snape retorted, "However shall I sleep at night knowing that I missed all of this?"

The stairs finally led them out of the admittedly fantastic scenery and stretched down a corridor for a while as if they were on the staircase to the astronomy tower. Snape started muttering under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Nothing in particular," Snape said, "It would simply appear that your innate magic is buried deeper than I had anticipated."

Harry contemplated that for a moment. "Will that make it more difficult for me to access it?" he asked.

"Not necessarily," Snape replied, "As long as the path remains straightforward, it should not pose an extra problem."

"Then why are you muttering?" Harry asked carefully.

"The deeper we venture into your mind, the more vulnerable it becomes," Snape replied, "We should be very careful."

"It's alright," Harry replied easily, "It's not like you're here to do any damage. Not this time at least."

"I was never going to damage you permanently, Harry," Snape said, sounding somewhat out of it.

"Of course not," Harry said, "Which is why I fully trust you being here, even if I am more vulnerable."

"It's not me I am worried about," Snape said pointedly, "But I am rather worried that your Gryffindor brashness might bring you to touch something you shouldn't. Impetuosity is not a valuable trait when doing something a delicate as this."

"At least give me _some_ credit," Harry objected, "Or have you forgotten that I have, in fact, withstood that final lesson of yours. Perhaps I am more mindful of myself than you seem to think."

The winding staircase straightened out again and the pair of wizards kept walking further down. This next area was once again wide open and seemingly limitless but darker than the previous room. The sky was a dark blue as it would be at dusk but there was no moon and no stars. A forest stood erected all around them but about half of the trees appeared dead and dry. There were objects hidden in their branches. Harry frowned when he saw a toy soldier, a baby blanket and a pair of scissors. He shuddered involuntarily.

"I don't like this very much," Harry said, unconsciously walking somewhat closer to Snape. "Didn't you imply that I should like whatever is in here because it's _my_ mind?"

"The upper levels are made up of dreams, desires and fantasies," Snape said evenly, "You control those, even on a subconscious level. The lower levels are made up of your experiences and fears."

Harry snorted. "That makes my mind a right house of horrors," he said, "though this isn't too bad."

Snape didn't respond. He just kept walking having the courtesy to not look at their surroundings. All he was focused on was that thread of white light. It seemed to pulse randomly at them as if urging them to keep going.

"The things I do to brew my potions," Harry said uneasily as he tried to break the uncomfortable silence. An owl seemed to hoot in the distance and a slow rumble came from somewhere across the horizon. Snape was still not saying anything.

"How much farther do you think we have to go?" Harry asked.

"You see as much as I do," Snape replied, "Possibly even more so I can't tell you."

"How often have you done this?" Harry asked, starting to feel more and more uncomfortable.

"A handful of times," Snape replied evenly. "Are you doubting my expertise?"

"No," Said Harry, "Just trying to determine if I'm a lost cause or something."

Snape snorted at that comment. "That's a ridiculous notion. Of course, you're not. The strand is right there. You can see it as clearly as I can."

"But maybe the core is buried too deeply," Harry said weakly, "None of the other strands are venturing this far."

"We will be fine," Snape said soothingly. "All you need to do is focus and we'll get there. It might just take a bit longer than I had expected."

"Okay," Harry said doubtfully, "But let me just say that this is getting to be decidedly creepy."

"Duly noted."

Again, the stairs disappeared into the ground, leaving the forest behind as Snape and Harry descended into another winding staircase. Cracks appeared in the brick walls the stairway coiled around and the steps seemed more and more unsteady and dilapidated.

"Have you ever read Dante's Inferno?" Harry asked out of the blue.

"I have," Snape replied, "Why?"

"It's starting to feel as if we're descending from the most benign of circles into increasingly bad ones."

Snape chuckled. "Harry, I assure you that if there is such a thing as hell, this is most certainly not it."

"I know that," Harry said, sounding exasperated, "I was just making an assessment if that's alright with you."

"Watch your step," Snape said urgently when Harry was about to put his weight on a particularly flimsy-looking foothold. Harry readjusted his gait and fell close behind Snape to copy his footsteps.

Once again, the stairs straightened out, revealing an even more grim scene. The sky was dark all around. There seemed to be something out that looked like stars but instead of exuding bright white light, they were oozing a blood red that seemed to stretch out elongated tendrils towards Harry. The crescent moon hung on its side as if the sky was smirking at the pair walking beneath it. It too oozed a blood-red light and if Harry looked close enough, he thought he could see teeth in the gaping mouth between which a red liquid flowed. And all the while the mouth was smirking.

Harry gulped and averted his gaze, only to become aware of the surrounding area. They seemed to be walking in a desert-like area. Dunes made up a large part of the scenery with strange, spidery plants trapped in their sands. Bits and pieces of ancient civilisations protruded from the cold sand as night-time crawlers made their way across the desert. A few of them turned their heads in Harry's direction but their eyes were hollow and cold.

"Oh Merlin, please don't let us go any deeper than this," Harry said to himself. Snape heard him but didn't respond.

Harry's eyes fell on a mountain of bones that lay stacked neatly against a huge but dead tree. The bones seemed to move as something burrowed beneath them. Harry turned his gaze to look at the strand of magic they were still following and wished for it to reveal its source already.

Harry yelped when something very close to him slithered across the sand rapidly, shifting it before it burrowed underneath. It had been much wider than a snake.

"Nothing will hurt you here," Snape reminded Harry. "Try and relax."

"If you say so," Harry said, not fully convinced. He would like to believe that his own mind wasn't about to attack him, though.

Faster than before, the stairs winded once more and Harry and Snape disappeared into the ground, leaving the scenery behind. The stairs were now so broken, that they might as well not have been there. It was now as if they were making their way down a slope that had sharp edges where the brick steps were still slightly intact.

Suddenly, Harry lost his footing and slid down when Snape's hand stopped him.

"Careful," he said, "We may be in your mind and not actually on a physically arduous journey but that doesn't mean you can't get hurt."

Harry used Snape's outstretched hand to right himself again and shot him a glare. "What do you mean?"

"When one believes themselves to be hurt strongly enough, their physical form will show the result. The further we go inside your mind, the more your body believes this ordeal to be reality."

"_Now_ you tell me," Harry snarled.

"Would you not have gone if I had warned you?" Snape asked, arching an eyebrow.

Harry sighed. "No," he admitted.

"Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor," Snape smirked, "And I'm not telling you that you're in actual danger. I'm just trying to prevent some cuts and bruises. Come on –" he stretched an arm down the path that would lead them farther down. "- I doubt we will have much further to go."

Harry inhaled deeply, steeled his resolve and continued walking, taking extra care to seek solid ground before shifting his weight. The stone column the path coiled around was missing various stones and showing gaping holes of darkness. Between the stones oozed a thick green liquid that slowly cascaded down and dripped onto the path they were taking. Harry thought he heard whispers coming from the wall but knew better than to stare down its depths.

The staircase straightened out again and actually ended entirely as if to signify that this was their final stop. Harry inhaled sharply at the new scene he was forced to lay eyes upon.

This time, the sky itself was a blood red. Cracks seemed to appear within it as if they stood inside a humongous snow globe that had been dropped and broken. Dead trees stood haphazardly among the earth, cracked because of the obvious draught that held this area in its grasp. Spiders and centipedes crawled between the crevices, fighting over what seemed to be scraps of meat. Harry's eyes widened when he saw a huge millipede wrap itself around what seemed to be a human ear.

A high pitched creaking sound reverberated around the area in a rhythmic pattern and made Harry's hair stand on end.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with me?" Harry murmured.

"Nothing's wrong with you, Harry," Snape responded, ignoring the trail of spiders that crossed his path. "Everyone carries darkness in their heart. Even the Gryffindor golden boy." Snape smirked but sighed when he saw Harry's stricken expression.

"You've seen much in your life," he continued, "This was only to be expected."

Harry laughed bitterly. "You expected _this_?" he asked loudly, gesturing towards a rotting carcass of what seemed to be a large dog.

"I understand why this might seem a bit grotesque to you," he said, "But this is really not as bad as it seems. The mind is a perplexing thing and can be difficult to understand sometimes."

Harry scoffed indignantly.

"Believe me when I tell you that you're within the range of what one might consider 'normal', Harry."

"Well, normal is impossibly abnormal," Harry said evenly.

Snape laughed, lifting Harry's spirit somewhat, though he did still flinch when the sky splintered even more with a loud crack. For a moment he wondered if they would find themselves buried under tons of glass soon. Snape had already started moving again and Harry sped up somewhat to catch up with the man.

"It can't be much further," Snape told him, "Since there are no more ways down, the source of your inert magic has to be on this plain somewhere."

Harry heard the sound of crows as they flew overhead. He looked up to see at least two dozen of them circling. Sometimes, one of them swooped down to feast on the multitude of insects exuding from the pores of the earth. Other times, they simply fought the critters for the hunks of meat they had in their possession. Harry thought he could hear them yelling things at him. But if they were, their words were unintelligible. When he looked behind him, he noticed that he was leaving footprints. He didn't take the time to consider why those footprints were wet with red liquid.

The strand of magic they were following was pulsing quicker now. It was the only spectrum of light that was still visible on this plain and Harry found refuge in it. He felt his mind reach out to it and hold on, trying not to wallow in the dark depravity that surrounded them.

"I doubt Luna's mind is like this," he said as he watched how the skin of some dead animal was practically melting off the branches of a dead tree.

Snape snorted. "No, I don't think it would be," he agreed, "But Ms Lovegood is a special case, isn't she?"

"She thinks our souls are connected," Harry said, wondering why he even brought that up.

"Does she?" Snape asked evenly, "She might not be entirely incorrect."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"It's rather obvious, I think," Snape replied, "The fact that I'm walking beside you as we're making this journey is proof of our connection. No one else could've gone with you this easily."

"Why is that?" Harry asked, "Is it because we've practised Occlumency together?"

"That is part of it," Snape acknowledged, "But it also has a lot to do with the fact that we trust each other. And that we've bonded in many ways that others – Professor Dumbledore for example – have not been able to do."

"Like when you adopted me?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Snape agreed, "As well as your apprenticeship."

"I'm lucky, I guess," Harry said, "That everything is connected to each other like this."

Suddenly, Snape held out his arm to stop Harry and peered at the edge of the thread in front of him. It ended in a large, pulsating orb that exuded strength and power. The light was so blinding that Harry and Snape had to shield their eyes from it. Surrounding it were trees in full bloom, bearing fruits of all kind. No creatures of the dark dared to venture close to it as light exuded from all around the orb.

Harry was overcome by a sense of calm and stepped forward. Snape didn't stop him. He merely followed.

"The orb is you," Snape said as Harry scuffled closer to it, mouth agape. "It is you at your most primal. It is your most pure and untainted form of magic. Once you touch it, you will know where it is buried. You will know how to access it. You can learn how to harness it."

Harry reached out but hesitated, stopping his hand mere inches from the glowing ball of light. It seemed to whisper to him. To call to him. Harry grew a bit suspicious, almost thinking this was a trap of sorts but Snape put a hand on his shoulder, soothing him.

"It's alright," he said, "It won't harm you. Reach out, and allow for it to guide your senses."

Putting all of his faith in the Potions Master, Harry reached out. As soon as his fingertips touched the orb, tendrils of the magic sped down the length of his arm, engulfing the boy in light. Snape let go as if he were chased away by the magic but he looked on with no concern in his gaze.

Harry felt himself be enveloped and recognised the feeling that now coursed through his veins. Even though he was sure that he had never felt it before. He felt it burrow its way into his mind and knew at that moment where it was and where he could find it. It made him feel more complete, even if he had never felt incomplete before. He now knew that he had been.

Finally, the light withdrew as fast as it had ensnared him and went back to being a big ball of light. Amazed, Harry looked at Snape to find the man smirk knowingly at him.

"I take it that now you understand," he said solemnly.

Harry felt euphoric and his eyes darted around excitedly as if he was literally looking for the right thing to say.

"That was extraordinary," he ended up saying, knowing that it was far from sufficient."

Snape chuckled. "That it was," he agreed. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Harry knew that his physical body was feeling tired when he felt the tug of sleep try to pull him away from his inner adventure. He smiled and took Snape's outstretched hand.

"That sounds great," he admitted.

It was a good thing for both of them that there was no need to make the journey back. Instead, they were catapulted back into the shallow depths of Harry's mind with tremendous speed where the boy finally broke the connection and entered the physical realm once more. He was vaguely aware of the sound of Slytherin students making their way to breakfast. He couldn't help but groan.

* * *

I wonder very much how you guys feel about the way I portray Occlumency. Any thoughts? As always, reviews are appreciated. It makes me happy!


	23. Chapter 23

_Thank you kindly for the reviews. I'm glad that you've all enjoyed the Occlumency._

* * *

**Chapter 23**

With the entire night spent due to Harry and Snape's outdrawn adventure, Harry found himself sleeping away most of the day. He had eaten breakfast before heading to his bed but had skipped lunch entirely in favour of his rest. When the time for dinner came around, he came to with the annoying sensation of someone urgently shaking him.

"Wha-?" he muttered, burying his head underneath his pillow in annoyance.

"Haven't you slept enough?" Ron asked, "It's time for dinner. Get up."

"I'm not hungry," Harry lied. In truth, he could eat but he would rather stay in bed where it was warm and comfortable.

"Snape threatened that he would come to get you if you weren't down for dinner," Ron warned him, "And I wouldn't put it past him to go through with the threat."

Harry yawned and smacked his lips. "Fine," he grumbled, "I'm up."

"You better be," Ron said, "If Snape finds my stash of dungbombs just because you were too lazy to get up, you're paying me back for them."

"I said I'm up!" Harry protested, chucking a well-aimed pillow directly into Ron's face.

"Come along then," Ron said as he tossed the pillow back onto Harry's bed. "This is probably the last time we'll see each other in a while. You're lucky I'm still here."

"Oh yeah," Harry said, finally getting up, "Hasn't the Hogwarts express left yet?"

"It has," Ron said, "But Dumbledore said that Ginny and I can take the floo."

Harry stifled a yawn as he trudged down the stairs, followed by Ron. "Why would he do that?"

"I think the old coot didn't want us to leave without saying goodbye to you," Ron replied.

"Us?" Harry asked.

"He offered Hermione the same," Ron explained, "But she didn't accept it. She didn't think her parents would appreciate her flooing directly into the living room."

"Muggles don't generally appreciate that," Harry said evenly, "But that's alright. It's only for a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, and she said she'll owl you," Ron added.

"So most of the students are gone already?" Harry asked, noting the empty common rooms. He climbed out of the portrait hole and waited for Ron to do the same before moving on.

"Yes," Ron said, "Some will get picked up by their parents and some of the seventh-years are just apparating home after dinner, like Draco."

Harry groaned. "I can't believe I haven't even begun to learn apparition yet."

"It's not that easy," Ron said, "I've been trying for a while now but it's a difficult skill. I can't believe Fred and George ever got the hang of it."

"I'm sure I could manage if I just found the time," Harry said, passing the sign that led to the great hall. "What kind of self-respecting wizard can't even apparate?"

"The school-going kind," Ron said easily, "Don't worry, Harry. We'll manage. Maybe Snape can teach you?"

Harry laughed. "I'm not sure where he would find the time to do that," he said, "I'm already his son and apprentice. When would he squeeze in apparition lessons?"

"I have six siblings," Ron said, "And still my dad finds the time to teach me. Surely, Snape would manage if you just asked?"

"But your father's got your mum," Harry pointed out, "Snape's just by himself."

"Ask him," Ron urged again. He turned the corner sharply to walk directly into the great hall where most of the tables were empty.

Ginny was sitting next to Luna and Draco was sitting by himself at the Slytherin table. A gaggle of seventh year Hufflepuffs sat in a huddle at their table, loudly discussing the next quidditch match and a few stray students of all houses sat spread out all over the great hall. Most of them sat by themselves.

"Well this is depressing, "Harry noted, "Why are they all sitting apart?"

Ron shrugged. "Beats me," he said, "Come on, let's join Ginny."

Harry would have declined politely had it not been for Luna who was sitting next to her. "Alright," he said, motioning to Draco as they walked over to the two girls. Draco nodded, took his plate and walked over to the Ravenclaw table as well, sitting down at the same time Harry and Ron did.

Ginny seemed surprised by the sudden interruption but Luna smiled knowingly.

"Good of you to join us one last time," Luna said, "Before the year is over in any case."

"Yeah, where were you during lunch, Harry?" Draco asked, "Ron said you were out cold but he didn't say why."

Harry groaned, "I've had an all-night… Occlumency session," he said, not sure how to phrase it otherwise. At the high table, he saw Snape looking at him, smirking in satisfaction. Harry wondered why he wasn't tired.

"Was Snape here for lunch?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Draco said, "Why wouldn't he be?"

"What part of all-night Occlumency don't you get?" Harry said irritably, "Or did you think I practised on myself in the mirror."

"Snape doesn't sleep much as it is," Draco said, ignoring Harry's rudeness, "And he always has a lot to take care of before the Christmas holidays. To make sure the Slytherins are looked after and all, you know?"

"That is very kind of him," Luna said honestly, "I know his students won't miss their home as much when they realize that someone is looking out for them here."

"But he won't even be here," Ron objected.

"He _will_ be if something goes wrong," Draco pointed out, "It's rarely necessary but every Slytherin knows that when needed, Snape will come back from wherever he goes over the holidays. It's very reassuring, really."

Ginny snorted. "I never would've seen it in him, really."

"Really?" Luna asked incredulously, "I think there's no Professor here that cares more than him." She smiled as she looked at Snape, waving softly when she met his gaze. Snape simply quirked an eyebrow in response but Bell – who was sitting next to him – waved back enthusiastically.

"I like Professor Bell a lot as well," Luna said as she refocused her attention on her friends.

"Now _that_, I can understand," Ron said, "Just imagine _her_ being your head of house."

"I think it would be great fun," Luna said dreamily as she built a tower out of her mashed potatoes.

"How are you getting home, Luna?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I'm not going home this year," Luna said, "My father is out hunting the curly-tailed Snarkolks. It will be a while before he's back since they only come out at the first sign of snow. He needs to be ready for it."

"What?" Draco asked incredulously, "I've never heard –" He oomphed when Harry elbowed him between the ribs.

"We can't all be as educated when it comes to magical creatures," Harry supplied smoothly, "But don't worry, Draco. If you pay attention, you'll learn."

Luna smiled knowingly. "I think Draco has already learned a lot lately," she said, "But I always knew that he could."

Draco blinked in confusion before sighing deeply and giving himself a second helping of roast turkey.

"I think you've embarrassed him," Ron teased.

"Anyone who isn't embarrassed by who they were last year," Luna said, "Simply isn't learning enough."

"Er… right," Draco said, "Well said, Lovegood. How's your uncle doing?"

Luna smiled at the obvious change in subject but allowed it. "He's busy as always," she said, "He's working hard to try and save people's lives every day. I am very proud and rather fond of him."

"Has he told you anything about the magical illnesses that seem to spread among the muggles?" Ron asked, now interested.

"He doesn't seem to know all that much yet," Luna said, "But I believe it has something to do with the mixing of wizards and witches and muggles."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Purebloods have always lived their lives separately from muggles," Luna explained, "Or as much as they could. It is a rather recent occurrence for people of the magical world to mingle with muggles. I think the muggles are simply not resistant to many magical maladies that we are already immune to."

"That sounds like a sound theory," Draco agreed, "Like when an animal from Europe is suddenly introduced to Australia. It might spell disaster for the animals there."

Luna nodded. "And yet," she said, "If we allow ourselves to intermingle more, we'll all be stronger for it in the end."

"Is this about one illness or multiple?" Harry asked, now interested.

"I'm not sure," Luna admitted, "My uncle hasn't really told me much. This is all just speculation on my part."

"A clever deduction nonetheless," Draco said, "I hope your uncle finds out what's happening soon."

"He will," Luna said easily, "He always does."

* * *

"So what are your plans for the holidays, Severus?" Maya asked. She stood leaning against the doorpost of his office, watching in amusement as he angrily shoved a few defence manuals back into their rightful place. Why they were catalogued near the books on magical law was beyond him.

"Ritually sacrifice some animals, I suppose," Snape deadpanned, "Perhaps claim someone's firstborn as payment for some past favour."

Maya snorted. She waltzed inside and picked up one of the graded papers that lay on Snape's desk, making herself comfortable in Snape's most uncomfortable visitor's chair.

"_Perhaps if you could refrain from staring at Ms Davies' hindquarters, you would be able to discern the difference between a charm and a hex,"_ she read aloud, giggling afterwards. "A bit harsh, don't you think?"

"I found it to be rather mild," Snape replied, "I still give him an A, did I not?"

"Oh, and look at this one!" Maya exclaimed as she grabbed the next one from the pile. "_If you plan to copy someone else's achievements, try not to do so from The-Boy-Who-Lived. His exploits – as extravagant as they were – are well-known to all and only a dunderhead would claim these as his own. See me in detention_."

Maya laughed out loud and Snape couldn't help but smile slightly at the sound.

"Did he really do that?" she asked, flipping through the pages. "Oh dear Merlin, he sure did!" She snorted, "Did he truly think you would believe him to have fought a mountain troll?"

"It would appear so," Snape said, not able to hide his amusement entirely, "First years often still believe they can take certain liberties."

"You will no doubt dissuade him of that notion," Maya pointed out.

"If I don't, I will hand in my resignation," Snape said solemnly.

Maya put the graded papers back and leaned back as she watched Snape pack. "But seriously, other than animal sacrifice, what are your plans? Please don't tell me you'll be brooding."

"I will be going home," Snape shared, "And I assure you that Harry will not allow me to brood."

"No," Maya agreed, "I don't expect that he will."

She remained silent for a while and while Snape understood the social construct that urged him to ask her the same question in return, he refused to abide by it. He never did care much for empty conversation and he hardly ever did it just for the sake of the norm.

"What have you come here for?" he asked instead.

"Can't your favourite colleague come and say goodbye to you?" she asked.

Snape snorted for multiple reasons. "I will merely be gone for two weeks," he said, "I am sure you will not miss my company that much."

"Perhaps not," Maya agreed, "But I will have to postpone my retaliation which is less than favourable."

Snape eyed her suspiciously and smirked when she just smiled innocently. "You know," he noted, "That innocent act does not have me fooled."

Maya tilted her head coyly. "Not everyone wears a mask, Severus," she said, "I'm really not that hard to figure out. All you need to do is look."

"I'm not really looking for anything," Snape replied. He grabbed the stack of graded papers and shoved them into his desk, locking the drawer with a non-verbal spell. Glancing around, he was pleased to be able to leave his office as neatly as he liked it.

"That might not stop you from finding something, though," Maya replied, "I hope you'll have a happy Christmas, Severus. And I wish Harry does as well."

"The sentiment is appreciated," Snape replied, nodding curtly. "I wish you the same."

"Good day, Sev," Maya said, winking. She was out the door before Snape could respond to the unwanted abbreviation of his name. he didn't deem the transgression important enough to give chase, though. Instead, he rolled his eyes and went back to locking his closets and drawers, finishing up by locking his door as he left.

* * *

Harry hadn't realized just how much he had missed his home until he stepped out of the floo, managing not to stumble, fall or otherwise injure himself. Snape was seconds behind him and seemed amused by that fact.

"You seem to be getting better at travelling by the floo," he said.

"I'm long overdue, I think," Harry said.

"Yes," Snape agreed, "Now hurry and go unpack."

Harry groaned. "Can't I do that tomorrow?" he asked, "It's already dark out."

"I believe you know perfectly well how to cast a Lumos, do you not?" Snape said evenly.

"Okay, but I want to ask you something when I'm done," Harry said. Snape raised a questioning eyebrow but Harry was already going upstairs, carrying his trunk with him as he seemingly forgot that he was allowed to use magic now. Snape shook his head fondly.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later that Harry came back down the stairs. Snape vaguely wondered when Harry had stopped racing down them two steps at a time and sighed as he silently contemplated the speed with which children grew up.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked as he threw himself into his favourite plush chair.

"I'm fine," Snape replied, "Did you finish unpacking?"

"Yes."

"Zippy!" Snape called out. Immediately, the delighted house-elf stood wringing her hands in front of her master, looking up at him with glee-filled eyes.

"Welcome home Master Snape and Master Harry," she said, "I hope yous had nice floo travels."

"Delightful," Snape replied sardonically, "Bring me some tea and a hot cocoa for Harry."

"Right away!" she said happily before hurrying away.

"Hot cocoa?" Harry argued, "I'm an adult now. Adults don't drink hot cocoa."

"I still occasionally do," Snape shared, "And you can't tell me that you don't enjoy it. Or have you forgotten that I can see you eating every single day."

Harry flushed stupidly but was saved a reply when their drinks appeared on the table in front of them.

"Now," Snape said as he grabbed his tea and leaned back into the couch cushions. "What was it that you wanted to ask of me? If you desire a pet dragon or chimaera, I'm afraid I must decline."

"Well, if you're sure," Harry replied without skipping a beat, "I could settle for you teaching me how to apparate instead."

Snape looked at him thoughtfully. "Apparition," he repeated carefully, "That particular skill has indeed escaped my attention. It does seem a tad preposterous that you haven't learned how to, yet."

"I thought so," Harry agreed, "Even if I manage to travel through the floo without almost killing myself now, I still think I should be able to."

"It would have been useful that day in the forest," Snape agreed, "It was less than desirable for you to depend on the goodwill of a death eater to get out of there."

"It's a good thing that you're so devilishly charismatic," Harry pointed out, "You persuaded that Rabastan fellow quite well. I didn't keep him out of Azkaban, though."

"He knew that was never an option," Snape replied, "But ten years is awfully lenient. Lestrange aside, I do believe it would be prudent for you to learn how to apparate."

"Excellent," Harry said, sipping his hot cocoa contentedly. He relished the delightfully sweet mixture on his tongue. He really did like hot cocoa.

* * *

The next morning, Harry and Snape were having breakfast when someone knocked on their door.

"Gee," Harry said sardonically, "I wonder who that might be?"

"Perhaps we should leave him standing there for a while," Snape proposed, "Pretend that we're not home."

"I'm sure that he can see the smoke that comes from the chimney," Harry pointed out, "How else does he always know when we'll be back?"

"I imagine he has it marked on his calendar," Snape said.

"Right," Harry chuckled, "The date in a big red circle and every date leading up to it crossed off."

The knocking on the door persisted and Snape lazily rose from his chair. "It's too early for this," he mumbled.

"It's never too early for Alex," Harry said, "Come on, I know you missed him too."

Snape muttered something unintelligible under his breath and opened the door. Behind it – as expected – stood Alex, wearing that big flashy grin.

"Severus!" he exclaimed amicably. Without waiting for permission, he took a step forward and embraced the dour potions master who sighed wearily and allowed the contact for a few seconds before stepping back.

"Alexander," he said curtly, allowing the man entry. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"What, can't I come to visit my best friend?" Alex said cheekily. "I don't know about you but I missed - Oh dear God, Severus! What happened to your hand?!" Much to Snape's horror, Alex grabbed his injured hand and gasped at the missing finger. "Your little finger," he said sadly. "How did this happen?"

"It's what happens when you mingle with crazy women," Snape said evenly. Alex stared at him rather dumbfounded but Harry couldn't help but snort.

When Alex noticed Harry sitting at the table he rushed over. "Harry!" he greeted, "Good to see you." He ruffled Harry's hair and helped himself to a bit of toast.

"Alex," Harry said, "You look great!" It wasn't a lie. Where Alex had normally been dressed in worn-out hand-me-down's that didn't ever seem to fit him right, he was now dressed in handsome clothes from top to bottom that almost seemed tailored to him. Even his shoes were so shiny that they seemed new.

"I know I do," Alex replied cheekily, twirling to show off his new look. "And it's all thanks to you lovable wizards."

"I take it your new passion as a tour guide for the magical world is paying off?" Snape asked.

"Absolutely!" Alex replied happily. "I get about twenty visitors a day – though it was a lot more at first - and I charge five galleons a person. Three for a child under twelve," he added, "It's a price they all seem eager to pay just to hear of your amazing battle with Voldemort."

Harry thought it was rather odd to hear a muggle speak Voldemort's name so plainly, and gathered by Snape's wince that he thought the same.

"And as if that isn't enough," Alex said, "They almost always tip me very well afterwards. Apparently, they like listening to my recollection of things."

"I wonder how much you embellish," Snape said dryly.

"I don't," Alex said, seemingly sincere, "This is one story that does not need embellishment. It's crazy enough on its own."

"I hope you never pointed out our residence," Snape said in warning.

"Only the old, destroyed one," Alex said honestly, "Which usually earns me some more sickles for my trouble."

"It looks like the magical world is treating you well, then," Harry said, happy for the man. "I'm glad to see it."

"I even have my own owl now," Alex said, "Emma doesn't know that I do, and I've had to tell Bruce to only deliver my mail when I'm outside and alone, but it's necessary for when I need to book large parties in advance."

Snape frowned at the muggle standing before him, happily munching his toast.

"What?" Alex asked.

"I just find it supremely odd to find a muggle be so content in the context that is the wizarding world," Snape said.

"It's done me nothing but good," Alex said honestly, "Emma still can't figure out what tourists are doing here all of a sudden but she knows not to question a good thing when it so readily falls into her lap."

"How are you exchanging wizarding money into pounds?" Harry asked curiously.

"I am aware of how to use public transit," Alex said, "So I just head to the leaky cauldron and head into Diagon Alley once a month."

Snape practically choked on his tea. "Excuse me?" he said, "How do you know about that? How do you know how to get there?"

"Albus told me about it," Alex divulged, "He's a regular customer of mine, you see."

Snape groaned loudly. "That decrepit old goat," he growled, "What is his game?"

Alex chuckled. "Don't say that," he said, "Albus has been nothing but kind. He's a very amazing man. Needs a shave though. Anyways, he took me to the leaky cauldron once – by apparition, of course, - and introduced me to Tom. Now he gets me into Diagon Alley whenever I need to be at Gringotts."

"This is ridiculous," Snape sighed, pinching the bridge of a nose, "A muggle is now traipsing around Diagon Alley every month, exposed to everything magical."

"And I'm loving it!" Alex said enthusiastically, "It's a shame I can't use magic myself but it's already so amazing to be able to witness everything about your world."

"Did you ever go into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?" Harry asked, ignoring the rest of his breakfast.

"How could I not?" Alex replied, grinning widely, "That shop is an eyesore if I ever saw one. But those twins –" Alex chuckled, "-They're to die for."

"I _thought_ you might like Fred and George," Harry pointed out.

"I love them," Alex said sincerely. "They recently came up with this amazing candy! It gets you to speak in nothing but limericks for a few hours."

Snape snorted loudly at that and Harry couldn't help but grin.

"I didn't know it had hit the stands yet," Harry said.

"Not yet," Alex replied, winking at the boy, "But I was one of the first to test it."

"Figures," Snape said, shaking his head. "This is getting to be more and more absurd by the minute."

"So, where do _you_ know them from, Harry?" Alex asked.

"They're my best friend's brothers," Harry said, "And they're my friends too. I used to stay over at their place a lot."

"Used to?" Alex asked.

"Well, it's not really necessary anymore now," Harry said, blushing slightly.

Alex seemed to pick up on the trepidation in Harry's voice and aptly changed the subject. "So, how are your studies coming along?" he asked.

Harry glanced at Snape who was smirking at him. "They're going well, I think," Harry replied, "I haven't really made too much progress on my potion yet, but I'm getting there. The rest of my classes are going fine."

"Did you play Quidditch yet?" Alex asked eagerly.

"One match," Harry said, "And I won, of course."

Alex groaned. "Of course you did," he said, "Oh, if there's one thing I would love to do, it's fly a broom. It's a pity, really."

Harry rapped his fingers on the table as he looked at Alex' face thoughtfully. "What if -" he mumbled more to himself than anyone else, "- I created a potion based on foxgloves.

"With what intent?" Snape asked.

"If I try and add them to a base of something acidic, I believe that would allow a muggle to be able to attune to magic for a period of time."

"Hmmm," Snape responded, "That's an interesting thought. He wouldn't need to be able to use magic to be able to fly a broom. He would simply need to be able to not clash with the magic of the engraved runes itself. That might work."

"Wait," Alex said, "Are you being serious? Could you get me to fly?"

"Possibly," Snape replied evenly, "But we can't make any promises."

"Man, if you could manage something like that, it would make me immensely happy," Alex said, "Not that your interference in my life hasn't made me the happiest man alive already. I mean, I –"

Alex seemed to choke on his words for a few seconds before continuing. "- I really don't know how I can ever possibly repay you."

"We'll call you the next time we have a leaky roof," Snape said dryly. Alex simply laughed.

"You're good people," he said fondly, "You have many fans among the tourists that come here. They asked me to give you their best wishes but I can't possibly remember all those people's names. Oh, which reminds me -"

Snape pulled a crinkled envelope from his pocket and handed it to Harry. "I know your mailbox is probably just for show and everything," he said, "So I took the liberty of taking this when I saw the mailman try and deliver it to your old, destroyed house."

Harry took the letter and saw his name on the front. Snape's old address was written beneath it. Frowning, Harry turned it over to find the addressee. He almost dropped the letter in shock. It came from Dudley Dursley.

* * *

_Oooh, my! Please do share your thoughts._


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Harry," Snape started, "If it makes you uncomfortable, you honestly needn't concern yourself with it."

Harry said nothing for a while. He just kept staring at the envelope in his hand. The writing was neat and sort of loopy. He recognised the distinct way in which Dudley crossed his t's in an upward curvature rather than a horizontal slash. A habit he apparently never broke.

"Shouldn't I have brought it?" Alex asked, "I can always take it back. Pretend it never got delivered."

Dudley's own address was written in a smaller print underneath his own name. The words 'Privet Drive' seemed so unreal to Harry at that point. His eyes lingered on the curly S that started off the word 'Surrey' wondering just how life was at that house of horrors now that he wasn't around anymore.

"Harry," Snape urged again. His hand swooped down on the envelope in Harry's hand with the intention to take it from him but Harry clamped down harder, his gaze lifting to look at Snape.

"It's alright," Harry said, forcing himself to smile somewhat. "It's just a letter. What harm could it do?"

"To the-boy-who-lived?" Alex chimed in, "Not very much, I'd wager." It was clear that he was trying to be funny, but the words left his mouth in an unsure fashion. Harry's attention was back on the envelope so he wasn't even aware of the glare Snape shot Alex.

"Thank you for stopping by, Alexander," Snape said. To Harry, it sounded distant. "Would you mind terribly if I asked you to leave, for now?"

"Of course, Severus," Alex agreed, "I'll come back some other time, okay?"

Snape nodded and Alex walked out the door, stopping only for a second to look back at Harry. He wisely didn't say anything more and left, closing the door as softly as he could.

With much trepidation and an unsteady hand, Harry opened the envelope, tearing it slightly since it was glued shut. Harry wasn't really used to the muggle way of sending letters anymore. Finally, he took out the two pieces of paper which were folded neatly in half and opened them.

_Dear Harry,_

Harry couldn't help but snort at the way he was addressed. Not only the fact that Dudley used his first name felt off, but the '_dear'_ in front of it felt as if it belonged in a different universe entirely.

_I know that I'm probably one of the last people you would ever want to hear from, especially when it is so close to Christmas but I felt like there are many things that need to be said and I couldn't hold off anymore._

_Basically, I want to apologise._

Harry swallowed thickly. He realized that it had been a few years since he had even seen Dudley but he could never have guessed that his cousin would have grown enough to apologise for anything, let alone for the things he had put Harry through. It seemed unreal. Half expecting this to turn into a cruel joke, he continued reading.

_I know there are no excuses for having done what I have done to you and I realize now that I've been unnecessarily cruel and unjust towards you. Over the years, I have realized that the way my parents have been treating you was beyond abusive. You have no idea what it took for me to just write that. But it's true. They've both been horribly abusive to you and I honestly can't even fathom how you're still alive. Perhaps it was your magic that kept you alive. Perhaps you're just made of strong stuff._

_When my parents went to Cokeworth and were stopped by your teacher, I was out of it. I was later told that I had been attacked by some sort of magical creature and was sent to a magical hospital to get better. Harry, those people helped me so much. And they did wonderful things with their magic. They made potions that helped with the nightmares and there were people that talked with me to clear things up. I understand that you've suffered greatly in your life but you must understand that for a long while, I thought I could never be happy again._

_While there, I heard your name a lot. How you were supposed to be the saviour of the wizarding world. How people were suffering and dying every day and how they hoped that you would destroy you-know-who soon. I was never aware of the tremendous pressure you were under. I never knew just how much people depended on you. I know you've mentioned it once or twice but you must understand that it all seemed very unreal._

Harry snorted in slight amusement. He understood very well how unreal it all would seem. Hell, even Harry himself had found it ridiculous at times. Especially when he hadn't even heard the prophecy yet. Not believing that particular claim was not something Harry could fault Dudley for.

_What I'm trying to say is that I admire you. You were bullied for most of your life and at the same time, some dark wizard was after your life and apparently came close to killing you practically every year! I was even made aware of the fact that you managed to fight off those horrible creatures that attacked me, all by yourself. You fought so bravely, even when I and many others tried knocking you down every step of the way._

_I have broken all contact with my parents after I asked mum what the address was of your teacher. I don't know if you still live there, but if you don't, I'm sure he can get this letter to you. I honestly don't understand how they're not in jail. I know that by now you are loved and very respected. People would die for you, even if they never even met you. Surely, if you would wish to bring my parents to justice, you could do so easily. Why haven't you?_

_I would like to tell you that if you should still want to do so, I'm willing to help you. Yes, I would bring to light my own horrible actions towards you, but it's the least I can do. And I want to do whatever I can for you. I know it won't make right what I did. I don't think anything ever will, to tell you the truth. But I can at least try._

_Finally, I want to tell you that I know now that you are not a freak. You are my cousin. You have a wonderful gift that I am envious of. I'm glad for it, though, since it got you away from my folks. You are an amazingly strong person that has been able to overcome every hurdle in his life. You've done things I could never do in a million years and I admire you for it._

_I regret everything I have done to you and if I could turn back time and be nicer to you, I would._

_I will understand if you never want to hear from me again. I will not contact you on my own after sending this letter. But should you wish to send me one, I will send a reply. I just hope that one day, I will be able to introduce you to my children. They will not know their grandparents, so I hope they will at least know you._

_Thank you for putting up with me all those years without horribly maiming me with magic. I've seen many things in that hospital and I know now what you could have done._

_I will not ask for your forgiveness because I know that I don't deserve it._

_Your cousin,_

_Dudley Dursley._

Harry stared at the signature for a while, not really understanding why he felt tears brimming in his eyes. Snape apparently understood that Harry's eyes weren't darting across the words anymore and gently shook his shoulder.

"Harry," he said, "Are you alright?"

"I think so," Harry said quietly, his voice trembling. Why was he being so emotional about this?

Snape seemingly felt alarmed. He hurriedly sat down in the chair next to Harry, grabbed his chin and made him look at him. "What did he say?" Snape growled, "If he hurt you in any way, I'll –'

"He didn't say anything bad," Harry interrupted before he had to listen to Snape's fantasy about disembowelling his cousin. "He just said – well, why don't you just read it? It's too much to explain."

Harry handed over the letter to Snape and sat there staring at his cold toast as Snape's eyes scanned the pages. Eventually, the man put down the letter gently and sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Snape asked.

"I wish I knew if he was telling the truth," Harry said, "What if this is all a big joke?"

"I could always slip him some veritaserum, if you wish," Snape replied easily. Harry would have laughed but Snape sounded dead serious.

"No," he replied instead, "You'll probably be sent to Azkaban if the ministry finds out."

"You don't need to send a reply," Snape said, "You don't owe him anything. He even says so himself."

"But what if he means it?" Harry asked, "I can't just _not_ reply."

"I think you'll find that you can," Snape responded, "You are fully capable of tossing that letter in the bin and moving on with your life. If you wish, you could toss it in the fireplace."

Harry chuckled. "That's a nice thought but I don't think I could do that," he said, "If Dudley is sincere, it took a lot of courage for him to write all those things. I honestly never even thought he would be able to write this much in one go." Harry chuckled. "But it's _his_ handwriting."

"How do you wish to proceed?" Snape asked.

"I don't know yet," Harry said, "I think I'll take a few days to think about it."

"That is always a wise course of action," Snape said, sipping his tea. "Were you still hungry? I could heat your food for you if you wish."

"No, thank you," Harry said, "I don't think I could eat anything else right now. Can we just do some brewing or something?"

"As you wish," Snape said, standing up from his seat. "Would you like to continue on your potion?"

"Not that one," Harry said, "I'd rather keep the tests for it contained to Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"Well, think about it," Harry said, "The last test had as a side-effect that all of the ghosts in Hogwarts were drawn to me. If I had done that test in here, it would've seemed as if nothing had happened at all."

"That's a valid point," Snape agreed, "So what would you like to do instead?"

"Well, do you have any foxgloves stored in here?"

* * *

For the next couple of days, Harry practically locked himself in the potions lab – which Snape had created in the basement of the house – coming out only to eat and sleep.

Snape would often find himself brewing right next to the boy, keeping a wary eye out as Harry tried to create the potion he wanted to make for Alex. He knew that Harry was trying to process Dudley's letter and was doing so by burying himself in potions work but Snape didn't mind. At least the behaviour was not as self-destructive as some of Harry's had been in the past.

On the third day of brewing, Harry had just added the flax seeds and orange zest for his second attempt when he sat down heavily into his chair.

Hedwig – who they had not been able to keep from the basement – sat proudly on a thick perch that Snape had fastened to the wall. She hooted softly in response to Harry's sudden arrest.

"Harry?" Snape asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to send a reply," Harry responded, "It's only right."

Snape sighed heavily. "If that is what you wish," he said.

Harry remained silent as Snape walked over to his cauldron and peered inside of it. "Ten times clockwise should do, I'd wager?" he asked. Harry nodded before leaning back and closing his eyes.

"I thought I was rid of all this, you know," he said while Snape stirred his potion for him. "I haven't even so much as thought about the Dursleys in over a year. Besides during the Occlumency lessons, of course."

"The past is never where you think you left it," Snape said easily, "But sooner or later, we all have to let go of it."

Harry looked at him strangely as Snape let go of the ladle and turned to look at him.

"How do you come up with these things?" Harry asked in bewilderment.

"I read a lot," Snape replied, smirking, "Now, are you going to toss in the next of your ingredients or will you deem this batch a failure as well?"

Harry huffed. "You know as well as I do that the creation of a new potion does not happen overnight."

"It doesn't," Snape agreed, "But I believe that this potion will prove to be a lot easier than the one you're already attempting."

"I agree," Harry said as he emptied a small container of dirt on his station and imbued it with his magic. "But I still don't think I've got it entirely."

"At least you're getting practice in the technique I showed you," Snape pointed out, "That should help greatly with the – What are you planning on calling that potion anyway?"

"Umbral Locum," Harry informed him rather proudly.

"Fitting," Snape said, "And yes. These techniques will work great for that."

Harry buried the flobberworms in the sand, watching as they started writhing. When they stopped moving again, Harry cut them up and tossed them in the cauldron.

"I suspect it will," he said. He stirred twenty times counter-clockwise, making sure to scrape the bottom of the cauldron sufficiently as to not allow any of the residue to stick to the bottom. "Do you think Alex will want to be my test subject again?"

"He didn't seem averse to it last time," Snape pointed out, "I think he really wants to fly that broom. Which reminds me. We've been invited for dinner on boxing day."

"Wow, really?" Harry asked, "Emma wants to put up with you again?"

Snape smirked. "I'm quite sure that she's rather fond of you," he said, "but it wouldn't be proper of her to invite only you."

"She might try to set you up with someone again," Harry chuckled.

"Or she might have found someone for _you_ this time," Snape pointed out.

Harry removed the cauldron from the fire and allowed the liquid to cool down. "I'm going to write my letter now," he said, "If I don't do it now, I fear that I never will."

"Dumbledore has always said that you're far too quick to forgive," Snape said gruffly, "And by Merlin, he is right."

"I don't think you understand," Harry said, smiling gently. "But I will forgive him not for his sake, but for my own. It's what I need to do if I want to move on from this."

"When did you get so smart?" Snape groaned.

Harry grinned. "I read a lot."

* * *

_Dudley,_

_I would never have expected to hear from you again but here we are._

_I must admit that I wasn't too eager to read your letter and afterwards, I had to think it over for days before deciding that I would write back to you._

_You are right to say that your actions – as well as those of your parents – have hurt me more than words can say. Seeing that on paper makes it sound a little awkward, but it's true._

_Your parents are monsters and I will never see them in any other light. But you were a child that was taught by his parents to hurt the freak as much as he could. That doesn't mean I approve of your actions but it means that I understand._

_I appreciate the offer of taking action against your parents but I would rather not. I'm already in the wizarding paper enough as it is, I don't want anyone to know about what my home life has been like. I would rather forget all of this has ever happened and move on._

_That said, I think I could manage to allow for at least you to remain in my life, though I don't think I want to see you just yet. Writing this letter already takes a lot out of me._

_When you have children of your own, I will make a conscious effort to meet them, of course. As long as they're not taught the same values you were, I might even be willing to be part of their lives. But those are things for the far future and will remain to be seen._

_In any case, I appreciate that you broke ties with your parents for what they've done to me. And it means a lot for you to acknowledge your mistakes and tell me you're sorry. I know that must've taken a lot of courage._

_You can write me back if you want. I'll tell Hedwig to wait for your reply if you want to give her one. Just tie it to her foot. She'll enjoy a strip of bacon, should you have it._

_Harry._

Harry reread the letter a couple of times before deciding that it would do, sealed it and tied it to Hedwig's foot. "Bring this to my cousin, Dudley," he said.

Hedwig fluffed her feathers in dismay and Harry chuckled. "I know," he said, "I'm apprehensive too but I think I should give him one more chance. Don't you?"

Hedwig looked away haughtily and Harry stroked her feathers. "I don't have a whole lot of family left, Hedwig," he told her, "I know the chances of me making up with Dudley are slim at best, but I owe it to myself to try."

Hedwig regarded him carefully for a while, then nipped his ear and flew away. Harry swallowed nervously when he saw her leave. There she went. Only time would tell if he made the right decision.

* * *

Harry sat reading in the sitting room with Snape on the day before Christmas. Alex had willingly tried his second batch of the potion but it had still been ineffective. Well, not entirely perhaps. It had made his hair rise and float towards either Snape or Harry. Whoever had been closest. So Harry had been able to make the potion react to magic – since that seemed to be what Alex' hair had been doing – but not in the way he had wished it to.

"_Catalogue it nonetheless_," Snape had said, _"It may not seem useful right now but maybe someday, someone will know exactly what to do with it_."

Harry sighed as he flipped the page in his Herbology book as he was looking for an ingredient that could replace the orange zest. Suddenly, his focus was broken when the floo flared green and a certain blonde stepped through the fire.

Harry was supremely jealous of the poise and grace with which Draco managed to step out of the hearth. Harry had been able to stay on his feet last time, but that was really all that could be said of him.

"Happy Christmas!" Draco exclaimed happily. In his arms, he carried several gifts. "Where may I put these?" he asked politely.

"Happy Christmas, Draco," Harry replied. He jumped up from his chair and went to greet his friend. "Glad you could make it. Just dump the presents under the tree, if you will."

Draco snickered and did as he was suggested.

"Got anything good for me?" Harry asked.

"You?" Draco asked incredulously, "Don't be daft. These are all for Severus and for me, from my friends."

"Oh, really?" Harry asked as he eyed a package with his initials on it. "And what's that?"

"Harry," Snape chided, "It's not polite to snoop."

"I'm just teasing," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"What were you reading?" Draco asked as he eyed the Herbology book Harry dropped. "That looks utterly boring."

"I'm just looking for a substitute for my orange zest," Harry said, "I'm trying to create a potion that would allow muggles to use wizarding tools."

Draco snorted. "And whatever would you want to do that for?"

"Alex would like to try flying," Harry said, "And I'm sure that there are many more wizards out there with muggle friends that would like to give some aspects of our world a try."

"I don't know," Draco said doubtfully, "I don't think I approve of muggles invading our world even more."

Harry shrugged, "Well, that's what I'm trying to do, whether you like it or not," he said.

"It's time you got over those prejudices, Draco," Snape snarled from the couch. He was narrowing his eyes at the blonde but the boy didn't seem to be too perturbed. "I would think you would know better by now."

"I do," Draco objected, "But I don't think it's a good idea to go and give them magical powers. They could blow everyone up!"

"I'm not going to give anyone magical powers, Draco," Harry said in exasperation. "Frankly, I think that would be impossible. All I need is for the muggle energy to not clash with the magic of the item, like a broom so he's able to use it."

"I know of more fun ways to spend my holiday," Draco said, "But you do you, I suppose. If I might make a suggestion, you should probably use ginger instead."

"Ginger?" Harry frowned, "Why?"

"Ginger cleanses the body of many things," Draco said, "It might even cleanse those less than desirable muggle energies."

Harry wasn't sure if Draco was kidding or not, but his suggestion didn't sound too bad. "Okay," he said, "I'll give that a try next time." Snape chuckled in amusement.

"And speaking of gingers, isn't Weasley coming as well?" Draco asked.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the comment and shook his head. "No, he can't" he replied, "Mrs Weasley wants as much of her children at home as possible over the holidays. I can't say I blame here."

"I would imagine she would have invited you over in that case," Draco pointed out.

"She did," Harry admitted, "But - well - We had a previous engagement."

"Meaning me," Draco said as he made himself comfortable in the chair next to Snape's.

Harry shrugged. "It's not like I haven't had Christmas at Ron's place before," he said, "But I've never had one with you."

Draco eyed the book Snape was reading curiously to which Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow.

"What are you reading?" Draco asked, smiling innocently as he leaned over the armrest of his chair.

"Not something that would interest you," Snape replied evenly.

"If you really think so, why not just show me?" Draco said, leaning even closer. For a moment, Harry thought the chair might topple but Snape turned the book so Draco could read it. The blonde frowned in disgust at the cryptic text.

"What's that?" he asked, "I can't understand a thing it says."

"That's the point," Snape pointed out, "It's a code."

"Oh," Draco replied, "And you're trying to crack it, I presume?"

"You presume correctly," Snape replied.

"Guys!" Harry exclaimed, "Christmas morning is tomorrow and you're both sitting here discussing some book?"

The combined smirks of Snape and Draco were a little unsettling but Harry braved them by putting his hands on his hips.

"I like a good read as much as the next guy but I forbid the reading of anything more intellectual than a greeting card or cracker joke."

Snape sighed and gently closed the book, putting it back into its rightful place. He secured it with a complex charm and leant back into his chair, steepling his fingers. "Very well," he said, "What did you have in mind?"

Harry grinned mischievously as he locked eyes with Draco.


	25. Chapter 25

_A/N: It was never my intention to get chapter 25 to be the Christmas chapter but I must admit that it's a happy coincidence nonetheless! Please enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter 25**

Harry found himself in the kitchen, adding milk to the pudding mixture as he whisked them into a cohesive blend. Zippy was off somewhere pouting but Harry was not to be deterred.

"I still don't understand why you're doing this," Draco said as he dipped a finger into the dark rum. "Isn't this exactly what a house-elf is for?"

"This is part of Christmas," Harry said importantly, "You need to make your own Christmas pudding."

"Says who?" Draco asked incredulously.

"It's tradition!" Harry pointed out.

"Perhaps it is in the muggle world," Draco said, "But in the wizarding world, we don't make our own pudding."

"Yes you do," Harry snorted, "Only the very wealthy don't. So I suppose it's no wonder that _you've_ never touched a whisk in your life."

"And I could go my whole life without ever doing so," Draco replied.

"Just give it a try," Harry urged, "I promise you that it will taste so much better when you made it yourself."

"That doesn't make any sense, though," Draco said thoughtfully, "What part of the process would make it taste better? What can _we_ do that a house-elf can't?"

"Ah, muggles would say that we add a bit of love to the recipe."

The snort that escaped Snape could be heard coming from the living room.

"Oh, would you put a sock in it?" Harry said loudly.

Draco laughed loudly. "See? Even your father doesn't agree. Can't you just leave the rest up to Zippy and come play a game with me?"

"This doesn't take long at all," Harry said, "Why don't you mix the fruits; sugar and liquor?"

"Because I don't want to," Draco said evenly.

"Come on," Harry urged, "You can make a wish as you stir it!"

"And muggles really believe such a wish would come true?" Draco asked incredulously, though he still started mixing the fruits.

"Not really, no," Harry admitted, "But it's a nice thought, nonetheless."

"If you say so," Draco said as he kept stirring. "You know, this sort of reminds me of Potions class."

"It's very alike," Harry said, "If you can brew a wiggenweld potion, you can make a Christmas pudding. All you have to do is follow the recipe."

"Will it explode if I add the wrong ingredient?" Draco asked.

Harry chuckled. "No, don't be daft. You could burn it if you raise the temperature of the fire too high, though."

"I'll leave that up to you then," Draco said.

"Dad!" Harry called out. He was still getting used to calling Snape that but he found that the more often he did, the easier it became. Draco flashed him a half-smirk as he did which Harry could only take as approval.

Harry had also noticed that – for now – the use of the word 'dad' made Snape spring into action immediately. He wondered how long that would last.

As he had suspected, Snape walked into the kitchen, eyeing Harry's mixture critically. "Yes?" he asked.

"Could you stir the fruits for a few seconds," Harry asked sweetly, "And make a wish while you do."

"Why?" Snape asked icily.

Harry sighed in exasperation. "For magical folks, you two really have no respect for all things that make Christmas truly magical."

"That's probably because we can actually use magic," Snape said. As if to demonstrate, he raised his wand, flicked it, and made the stirrer stir by itself.

"I don't think that counts," Harry said, though he wasn't sure of that himself. "Just stir it by hand for a few seconds. Please?"

With a suffering sigh, Snape grabbed the stirrer, mixed the fruits for a few seconds and handed it back to Draco. "Satisfied?" he asked.

Harry grinned broadly. "Absolutely. You can go back to whatever it is you were doing."

Snape didn't dawdle and went back to the sitting room. He was no doubt still working on deciphering that text that the Weasley twins had liberated for him.

"Allow me to stir it for a moment," Harry said, grabbing the bowl from Draco. The blonde relented easily and watched as Harry mixed the fruits, a dumb smile on his face.

"You baffle me sometimes," Draco said.

"Hm?" Harry reacted absentmindedly.

"First of all, I can't believe the saviour of the wizarding world is making his own Christmas pudding," Draco pointed out. "And second of all, I can't get over the fact that doing menial labour such as this makes you happy."

"I doubt you'd understand," Harry replied.

"Try me," Draco urged.

"Well, it's just that –" Harry sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. "- I was never allowed to be part of any Christmas traditions when I still lived with the Dursleys and – well – something happened recently that got me thinking about that all over again."

Draco raised a curious eyebrow. "Why wouldn't they let you join them?"

Harry suddenly realized that he had never really told Draco about his life with the Dursleys and was now resisting the strong urge to bang his head against the wall.

"Harry?"

"Could you check the recipe for me?" Harry asked, "How long did the pudding have to cook?"

"Five to six hours," Draco replied evenly as he eyed Harry curiously.

"Right," Harry replied cheerfully, "Pass me the foil, will you?"

Draco sighed. "As you wish, Harry."

* * *

While the pudding simmered on a low fire, Harry took Draco to go sledging. Snape had warned them not to go too far and had explicitly forbidden them from treading on the ice.

"If I catch you so much as stepping foot on that ice, I will divide all of your Christmas presents among the needy orphans," he had said. Neither boy had taken great consideration into his words but they weren't really planning on skating anyway.

"I know a good hill not far from here," Harry said. He was pulling the sledge along the snow. Draco had taken a seat on top of it, leisurely eyeing the surrounding landscape.

"You're not really helping, you know," Harry pointed out.

"A smarter wizard would simply use magic," Draco retorted.

"Have you completely forgotten that this is a muggle neighbourhood?" Harry asked, "If anyone should see you using magic, you could get arrested."

"So be subtle about it," Draco said. He went to lay flat on his belly as the sledge kept moving along, Harry pulling the rope dutifully. Draco whispered an incantation and suddenly, the sledge felt a lot lighter and easier to move.

Harry threw Draco an exasperated glare. "Draco," he snarled, "What did I just say?"

"You didn't even notice me doing anything," Draco chuckled, "And neither did any muggle. Sometimes, you just need to be a bit more Slytherin about things."

Harry rolled his eyes but decided to let it slide. Quite literally.

"There it is!" Harry exclaimed, pointing at a rather steep hill. Underneath the heaps of snow lay a dead-end street, Harry knew, that led to an abandoned manor. No one ever went up there anymore. That is to say, Harry had investigated it at some point but there was nothing to be seen in there. It had probably once belonged to the owner of the factories here before they all went out of business.

"Well?" Harry asked, "Looks like fun, doesn't it?"

"Harry," Draco said doubtfully, "We fly broomsticks for fun. You can't possibly tell me that this sledge of yours can go faster or higher than your Firebolt."

"It can't," Harry agreed, "But this sledge is so much easier to mount with the both of us. Now get off, I'm not dragging you up that hill. Featherlight charm or not."

"Fine," Draco groaned, "But I'm not pulling that thing."

"Just come along," Harry urged as he began walking up the hill, dragging the wooden sledge behind him. The crunching of the snow told him that Draco was only a few steps behind him.

"Okay," Harry said as they reached the hill, "Do you want to be in the front or back?"

"I suppose I'll take the front," Draco said proudly as he took his seat.

"Alright," Harry said, "But that means you have to watch out for obstacles and steer accordingly."

"And how do you steer this thing?" Draco asked.

Harry laughed. "I have absolutely no idea!"

"Oh, that's quite reassuring," Draco said, but he laughed and sat down nonetheless. "If I break an arm, I'm holding you accountable, Potter."

"Don't worry," Harry said as he took his seat behind Draco. "I know how to brew skele-gro now."

"In that case, let us be off!" Draco said valiantly as he used his feet to get the sledge moving. Harry did the same until the wooden contraption gained enough speed to move on its own and down the steep hill they went.

Perhaps it was not quite as spectacular as riding a broom but both boys laughed heartily on their way down as the snow caught in their path was thrown upwards and into their faces and hair. The ride down was over far too quickly and ended without incident.

"That was fun," Draco admitted.

"It's much more fun with a friend than going alone," Harry added sheepishly, "Want to go again?"

"Okay, but this time, let's try to go faster," Draco said.

In a few hours' time, the pair made up of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin had made their way down that same hill dozens of times. Near the end, most of the snow had been cleared by their glorious escapade and so they were forced to either stop or magically reapply the snow to the hill. They were discussing the pro's and cons of using magic when a very familiar muggle approached them, catching Harry from behind with a snowball.

"Hey!" Harry protested. He turned around and grinned when he caught sight of Alex. "Oh, you'll pay for that!" he said. He looked around mischievously and when he was sure that no one else was around, he swished his wand as subtly as he could and assaulted Alex with two dozen snowballs. Draco watched the onslaught with a mixture of shock and amusement.

"Harry!" Draco exclaimed when Alex went down and faked his own death. "After all your goody-two-shoes logic, you go and assault a muggle with magic?"

"Oh, it hurts," Alex groaned ridiculously, "I have been slain. The great Harry Potter slew me." He writhed in the snow and stretched out a hand towards the sky. "Remember me not for how I died, but for how I lived," he croaked. And then, his hand dropped into the snow, and Alex' eyes closed.

Harry laughed maniacally as he went to stand over Alex' '_dead body'_. "Ah, Alexander. With you gone, there is no one left to protect Spinner's end from my wrath!" he said dramatically. Draco looked at him as if he had gone insane. "Let this be a reminder that a muggle can never stand up to a wizard!"

"We'll see about that!" Alex said as his eyes suddenly opened. He sprang up from the ground and tackled Harry, dropping him into a mound of snow.

"Yes!" Alex exclaimed, raising both of his hands to the sky, "Muggles rule! Wizards drool!"

"We must certainly do not," Draco snarled, "Harry, what is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, sorry Draco," Harry said sheepishly as he got up from the ground. He patted down his pants to remove the snow and joined Draco again. "I got a bit carried away, I suppose. This is Alex. Alex, this is Draco."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Alex as the man extended his hands towards him.

"He's a muggle," Draco stated, "And he knows about us?"

"He's a licensed observer," Harry explained, "So yes, he does. He even gives tour guides around here for wizards and witches."

"You're supposed to shake it," Alex said, his hand still extended. "It's a muggle custom."

"I'm not an idiot," Draco snarled, "I know how shaking hands works. I simply choose not to."

"Suit yourself," Alex said, completely undeterred.

"Draco, you're being rude," Harry said, "Alex is a good friend of Severus and I. He deserves your respect."

"Hold on", Draco said, "Are you telling me that this muggle –" he pointed rudely at Alex, "- is friends with Severus? Severus Snape?"

"The very same," Alex replied before Harry could, "Why do you think he lives in this town? It's to stay close to me!"

Draco scoffed and Harry snorted. "He's a bit eccentric –" "Excuse me?" Alex interrupted, "- But he's one of the best men I know. I ask of you to be nice."

Draco looked at Harry incredulously, sighed deeply and finally extended his own hand to Alex. "I'm Draco Malfoy," Draco said through gritted teeth, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Alex took his hand in a firm grip and shook vigorously. "Proper posh boy, aren't you?" he said happily, "We don't see many of your kind around these parts."

"Well now I feel offended," Harry said mockingly, "Are you telling me that I'm not proper?"

"You fell into the river the first time we met," Alex pointed out, "And you angered Severus every step of the way! You are not at all proper."

Harry shrugged. "Point taken."

"So, how is that potion coming along, if I may ask?" Alex asked.

"Ah, so you're the muggle that wants to fly," Draco interjected, "Are you sure you could handle the altitude? If you fall, you could break something."

"Nothing Harry or Severus couldn't fix, I'd wager," Alex sad easily, "And if you're implying that I'm scared of heights, I'm not."

"I wish you could come to Hogwarts at some point," Harry said, "To watch me play Quidditch."

"Please," Draco said, "The next match is against Slytherin and you _know_ we'll win this year."

"And what makes you so sure of that?" Harry asked.

"You're far too distracted this year," Draco said happily, "I suspect that even in the middle of a game, you'll still be thinking of bicorn horns and flobberworms."

"Even if that were to be true, I would still beat you any day," Harry retorted. He grinned cheekily when his eyes met Alex' again. "Come on, ask Dumbledore next time he's here."

"Who's Dumbledore?" Alex asked seriously.

"Albus," Harry pointed out, "What, he's never formally introduced himself?"

"He's a peculiar man," Alex said, "I doubt he does anything properly, unlike young Draco here." Draco snorted in response.

"And why would I have to ask him, anyway?" Alex added as an afterthought.

'He's the headmaster of Hogwarts," Harry said.

"Ah," Alex responded, "He does _look_ like a magical headmaster. Okay, I'll do that."

"Are you sure you want to invite a muggle into Hogwarts?" Draco asked, "The excitement might just kill him." Draco did not sound at all as if he would mind that prospect.

"If he can handle Diagon Alley on a regular basis, I'm sure he can handle Hogwarts," Harry supplied.

"He what?" Draco asked loudly, "Harry, what kind of muggle is this even?"

"The kind that is very much mixed up in our world," Harry replied, "You might even consider him a squib."

"I'll pretend that that's a compliment," Alex said evenly.

Draco snorted again but didn't challenge Alex' assessment. Instead, he decided to satisfy his own curiosity. "So, what was this about Harry falling into the river?"

"Ah, young one, that is indeed a marvellous tale," Alex said. Harry groaned but said nothing.

"It was a hot summer's day and I was sitting on the riverbank, fighting a right monster of a fish. Proper Leviathan, that." Harry rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile.

"After I caught it, I see Harry standing there, clearly in awe as he gazed upon my herculean body and handsome smoulder."

Harry choked on a laugh and even Draco was showing a wide grin.

"He had just seen me struggle with the aforementioned beast and – as impressed as he was – practically begged me to take him on as my apprentice."

"Oh boy," Harry muttered but Draco shushed him.

"Being as magnanimous as I am, I agreed to teach him all I know," Alex continued, "so I gave him one of my rods and taught him the basics. He fell in love with the craft immediately and what do you know, soon a fish took the bait."

"Did he catch it?" Draco asked.

"Alas," Alex said sadly, "The fish fought bravely and Harry simply lacked experience. He tried to the best of his abilities but the fish simply dragged him into the river and would have drowned the poor lad had he not let go of the fishing rod. But, -" Alex added darkly, " - that was not the end of his struggles."

"What happened?" Draco asked curiously, no longer deterred by the fact that he was talking to a muggle.

"Well," Alex said, "That was the moment Severus arrived at the river. There was fire in his eyes and an aura of darkness that promised nothing but pain and death."

Harry snorted and Draco chuckled.

"He dragged Harry out of the river and hauled him onto his shoulder before strutting back to his house. It was tragic. It was the last I've ever seen of poor Harry. He's probably locked in his dungeons somewhere."

"Er… Alex," Harry said.

"Oh, Harry, it's so sad," Alex said gravely, "What has become of you?"

"Is he all there?" Draco asked, raising a sardonic eyebrow, much like Snape would.

"He likes to embellish a lot," Harry sighed.

"Ah, but I know that you love to listen to my embellishments," Alex pointed out, "And don't you dare deny it."

"I must admit," Draco said, "That _was_ rather amusing."

"Thank you for your consideration," Alex said solemnly. Harry just shook his head.

* * *

When darkness had set, Draco and Harry had gone back to the house, shivering madly as they were greeted by the pleasant warmth of the hearth.

"You've been gone for a while," Snape noted as they walked in, stomping their boots on the welcome mat to get rid of the snow.

"It was too much fun to stop," Harry said honestly.

"We met the muggle named Alex," Draco said.

Snape eyed him curiously. "And what is your opinion of Alexander?"

"He's hilarious," Draco admitted, "It's a shame that he's not a wizard, really."

"Imagine that," Snape said, "There would be no escaping him if he were."

"He said he's your friend," Draco pointed out, "He lied, didn't he?"

Snape stared at Draco for a few long seconds before smirking and turning on his heel. "I would imagine that you've worked up quite an appetite. What say you we get started on dinner?"

"Thank Merlin," Harry said gratefully, "I'm starving!"

Dinner was a rather rambunctious affair during which Harry and Draco discussed many things from Quidditch to their N.E.W.T.'s and the girls that walked the halls of Hogwarts. Snape rarely contributed to the conversation except to provide the occasional snarky jibe or sardonic comment.

Eager for Christmas the next morning, Draco and Harry both turned in early. Draco slept on a spare mattress with blankets and a comforter piled on top of him to protect him from the cold. Neither boy had the intention to fool around when they were supposed to sleep because even Harry didn't know what sort of secret potions Snape had hidden away to test on misbehaving young-adults.

* * *

When Harry opened his eyes the next morning, it took him a while to register that it was, in fact, Christmas morning. Grinning broadly, he rose swiftly and was about to shake Draco awake when he noticed that the blonde was already gone. His comforter lay folded neatly in a corner with his blanket and pillow on top of it.

Slightly peeved that the sneaky Slytherin did not wake him up, he crept down the stairs. Years of practice enabled him to not make a single sound as he moved. If Draco thought he could get away with leaving Harry to lie in on Christmas morning, he had another thing coming.

Harry snuck towards the open door and was about to loudly announce his presence when he heard Draco and Snape talking softy.

" – Are you coping, Draco?"

Harry heard Draco chuckle softly. But the sound was bitter rather than amused.

"As well as could be expected, I would think," Draco replied, "But it's –" he exhaled sharply, "- It's hard, Severus."

Harry became aware of the sound of shuffling and peered around the corner to find himself staring at the back of his two most loved Slytherins. Snape had draped an arm around Draco but the blonde sat stiffly as he stared into the fire. Harry felt a pang of guilt for observing the scene in front of him but found it hard to stop seeing how he had already made the transgression.

"I understand how hard this must be for you Draco," Snape said soothingly, "If there's anything I can do -"

You've already done plenty," Draco said, "You have no idea how it felt to be invited for Christmas." Harry thought he could hear Draco's voice crack and felt his own heart break. "For the most part, Slytherin shuns me and it's not as if any of the other houses readily accept Slytherin outcasts."

Harry could see Draco lean into Snape's embrace this time.

Another bitter chuckle escaped Draco's lips. "Except for the golden trio, of course."

Snape sighed deeply. "Those three do seem to be rather close to you these days."

"They trust far too easily," Draco said, but there was clear gratitude in his voice. "I can't believe I ever acted the way I did towards them."

"We have both made plenty of mistakes in that regard," Snape pointed out, "But Harry has always been quick to forgive."

"He's a lousy Slytherin though," Draco chuckled. This time, the sound was genuine.

"I should say so," Snape growled, "Harry, would you stop skulking around and come over here?"

Harry flushed when he realized he got caught and sheepishly shuffled inside. "What can I say?" he said, "Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor."

"You're such a prat!" Draco accused as he tossed a throw pillow in Harry's general direction. He snatched it out of the air as it approached and put it in its rightful place as he plopped down next to Draco.

"There's a pot of hot chocolate in the kitchen," Snape said, "Would you like some?"

Harry – who noticed that both Snape and Draco already had their own mug – nodded vigorously and Snape disappeared into the kitchen while Harry settled next to Draco. Almost unconsciously, he slinked an arm behind Draco's shoulders in comfort and pulled him closer. Draco allowed it.

"Happy Christmas," Harry said.

"Happy Christmas," Draco replied.

"How long have you been up?" Harry asked.

"About an hour, I think," Draco guessed.

"You could've woken me up, you know," Harry growled in mock annoyance.

Draco snorted. "Even I don't have to heart to wake up someone who curls like a kitten."

"I do not!" Harry exclaimed in horror.

Draco shrugged, but not enough to loosen Harry's soothing embrace. "I may or may not have a picture as proof."

"I may not be a Slytherin but I assure you that Gryffindors are just as capable of taking revenge," Harry said casually, "Ah, thanks, Severus," he added as he accepted the mug of hot chocolate, releasing Draco as he did.

"I should probably punish you for eavesdropping," Snape said as he regarded Harry carefully.

"Or –" Harry said pointedly, "- If I might make a counter-argument, we should probably open up our presents now."

"I second that motion," Draco added playfully.

"When did I give you two the idea that this is a democracy?" Snape asked icily, "I rule this household as a firm dictator."

"Fine," Harry said, "Be that way. Say Draco –" he looked at him mischievously and whispered in his ear, "_Do you know how to play the piano_?"

Draco scoffed indignantly. "Of course I do, what did you expect?"

"Then come on!" Harry exclaimed as he rushed over to the piano stool. Draco walked leisurely behind him and went to sit next to the raven-haired boy.

"Alright," he said, stretching the word, "What do you want me to play? Chopin? Debussy?"

Snape was eyeing the both of them curiously as he sipped his own hot chocolate. Harry suspected that he had added a few shots of rum to the drink but didn't comment.

"How about the twelve days of Christmas?" Harry asked.

"That is far beneath me," Draco said haughtily, "But for you, my friend, I shall."

"I knew I could count on you, Draco," Harry said happily, clapping the boy on the back.

"And a one, and a two –"

Draco started playing the piano and Harry sang along.

"_On the first day of Christmas, my teachers gave to me –"_

Draco chimed in cleverly, "_A headache caused by Occlumency_!"

Harry chuckled, quickly grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment and picked right back in.

"_On the second day of Christmas, my teachers gave to me –"_

"_Two lemon drops,"_

Snape snorted audibly,

"_And a headache caused by Occlumency."_

Draco and Harry altered as they made up the next sentence for their original take on 'Twelve days of Christmas' until they ended up at five. Harry quickly scribbled something down and showed it to Draco. The blonde grinned and when the time was right they both dramatically sung at the top of their lungs:

"_Five thousand points_!"

Not even stopping once as they went, the boys came up with an abundance of Hogwartsian references as they continued blaring horribly off-key, their original intent of simply annoying Snape long since forgotten as they were having the time of their lives.

Finally, they came to the final chorus of their song as they went over each point on the list one more time, in not-so-perfect harmony.

"_On the twelfth day of Christmas, my teachers gave to me -  
Twelve ghosts a haunting  
Eleven feathers floating  
Ten monsters prowling  
Nine house-elves cooking  
Eight wands a duelling  
Seven cauldrons brewing  
Six cats transforming  
Five thousand points  
Four Flobberworms  
Three Firebolts  
Two lemon drops  
And a headache caused by Occlumency"_

Both Draco and Harry lingered on that last note, Harry going up while Draco went down. With an exaggerated flourish, he hit the last key on the piano after which the boys turned and looked at Snape expectantly.

"You two are utterly ridiculous, do you know that?" Snape said as he calmly sipped his hot chocolate with rum.

"I thought we were rather ingenious," Draco commented, "Coming up with lyrics on the fly like that."

"Now, can we open our presents or should we continue singing?"

"While quite amusing," Snape replied with a wide smirk, "I do believe you've earned the right to open your presents now and I'd rather not sit through a rendition of 'Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, if I can help it."

Harry and Draco high-fived each other as they went to sit on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, beaming broadly whilst checking out their haul.

"Open mine first," Harry said eagerly as he handed Draco a small package. Draco smirked and accepted the present that was wrapped in green and silver. After unwrapping it carefully, he produced a round contraption of sorts that hung from an intricate-looking chain.

"What is it?" Draco asked as he eyed the item.

"It's a Swiss timepiece," Harry explained as he showed Draco how to open it.

Draco gasped as he looked at the clock inside of the timepiece, ticking away properly and extraordinarily correctly. "It's beautiful, but what is that material it's made out of?"

"Titanium," Harry supplied.

"So it's Goblin-made?" Draco asked.

"Of course not," Harry said, "It's muggle-made."

Draco snorted. "As if muggles could get titanium and use it to craft something as beautiful as this."

"You know, Draco," Snape chimed in, "Muggles have been able to mine titanium for almost as long as goblins have. And I assure you that the muggle world has masters of its own as you can see clearly by the creation in your hand."

"I see," Draco said softly as his eyes still widely looked at the timepiece. "It's beautiful, Harry. Thank you. I might even wear it sometimes."

Harry grinned. "You are very welcome, Draco."

"My turn," Snape said as he levitated one of the gifts towards Harry. "Here you are."

Harry did not show the same decorum as Snape and Draco did and quickly tore through the paper that stood between him and his present. When the malicious paper was finally vanquished, Harry laid eyes on a beautiful golden potion knife that came in a delicately adorned box.

"Wow," he said, "It's beautiful."

"It's also an artefact," Snape added, "It's self-cleaning and will cut whatever you're cutting exactly as you would wish it. I expected it might come in handy."

"This is amazing!" Harry said, "Thank you so much, dad."

"You are very welcome," Snape said easily as he smiled ever so slightly.

From Ron and Hermione, Harry received the usual abundance of sweets and books and from Mrs Weasley, he received his traditional Christmas jumper as did Snape. Strangely enough, the Weasley matriarch had also knit one for Draco.

"Look at that!" Harry said, "She already thinks you part of the family."

Draco looked at the green jumper with a grey D knitted in the middle and smiled slightly. "She really shouldn't have."

"Oh, you just try and stop her," Harry said, "But spoiler alert. You can't."

"I'll be sure to send her a thank-you note," Draco said dutifully and much to Harry's surprise, Draco actually pulled the sweater on. Harry did the same but Snape folded his neatly and put it aside.

"Well that's odd," Harry said suddenly, "I got a gift from Luna."

Draco grinned widely, "Oooh, what did she send you?"

Harry opened the box and stared at a supply of dirigible plums. He smiled slightly as he thought of the same plums she used as earrings.

"Interesting," Snape said as he spotted the fruits. "These enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary."

"Oh!" Harry said, "Do you think I could –"

"Use them for Alex' potion," Snape completed, "Yes, I do."

"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, "She must be psychic."

"Or just random," Draco added.

"It is kind of her to think of you in any case," Snape said, "Make sure to thank her properly next time you meet."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course, I will," he said, "You don't need to remind me of the proper etiquette. Now open my gift to you, would you? It's no magical dagger, though."

Snape opened the box Harry handed to him to reveal a large collection of music sheets.

"I noticed that you know how to play the piano," Harry said, "But you don't have any sheet music so you never actually play anything concrete. There's both muggle and magical music in there."

"Thank you, Harry," Snape said as he leafed through the sheet music, "I'll be sure to put these to good use."

"And look," Harry said slyly, "Looks like you got one more present."

"Hm?" Snape responded, "From whom?"

Harry wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "It says here it's from Maya Bell."

"Oh Merlin," Snape sighed, "Set it down. It might explode or something."

"So check it," Harry said, "But do open it."

"Alright," Snape said, "But stand back."

Never one to be taken off guard, Snape performed a series of detection charms on the small box to verify if it was safe. It took him about ten minutes to be satisfied, but eventually, he opened the box to reveal a book.

_'Cryptography and its applications throughout History'_, it read. A bookmark was stuck between the pages and Snape opened it to reveal a section on the very same encryption method that had been used on the text he was trying to decipher at that point.

"Well well, wonders never cease," he said softly, "This will make my life a lot easier."

"She actually managed to give you a book you haven't read yet?" Harry asked incredulously as he saw Snape's happy expression.

"Indeed," Snape replied, "This is a very rare book. I didn't think I would be able to get my hands on one in this lifetime."

"Looks like there's more than one of us that will need to express our gratitude," Harry teased.

"It would appear so."

"Harry, I still have something for you," Draco said suddenly, "Don't think I've forgotten about you."

Curiously, Harry accepted the package Draco carefully handed to him and made sure to unpack it equally carefully. When he opened the box, it was Snape that reacted first with a sharp intake of breath. It took Harry a tad longer to realize what he was looking at. It seemed to be the recipe for Polyjuice potion but with remarks added all across the recipe going on for several pages.

"It's Arconus Fecklebright's memoir for the Polyjuice Potion," Draco explained.

Harry stared at the pages in awe. This was far more than just the recipe. These pages held all the thoughts and methods the inventor of the potion had used and had as he created the potion. With these notes, he could find out the reasoning behind every step. He could find the method to the madness so to speak.

"Draco," Harry said, "This must be worth a fortune!"

Snape scoffed. "A fortune?" he sneered, "This is worth fortunes upon fortunes. I have asked Lucius to be allowed to take a look at these memoirs for years now. But he would never allow me to."

Harry – who understood the full magnitude of the gift he had just received – surprised Draco with an impromptu hug. "Thank you so much," he said.

"You're welcome," Draco said awkwardly, "Just make sure you put it to good use. It serves no purpose, wasting away in someone's vault."

"Well said," Snape said in agreement, a devilish sparkle in his eyes. He was probably looking forward to perusing the pages himself. Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the man's eagerness.

"There is just one present left," Snape said as he rose from his seat. Harry flattened himself on the ground to peer underneath the Christmas tree but saw nothing.

"No there isn't," he said.

Snape sighed and said: "Just wait here," as he walked to his laboratory. Harry locked eyes with Draco but just shrugged.

A few minutes later, Snape remerged and handed Draco a vial. "Add a few drops of these to your mother's tea every morning," he said gently, "And let me know the result."

Harry frowned as he saw Draco gratefully take the potion, his eyes locking onto Snape's momentarily before putting it away. Harry knew that he should probably not pry.

"So," he said instead, "Who wants Christmas pudding?"

* * *

_This chapter turned out to be much longer than I initially envisioned but I had so much fun with it. I hope you all laughed; perhaps cried for Draco a little bit? Please do tell me what you thought. It would make this St. Nicholas' day extra special! (Yes, the 6th of December is special here in Belgium)._

_So please review! And as I have done these last couple of weeks, I'm going to skip the weekend and update on Monday. See you then!_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Harry could honestly say that Christmas that year had been great fun. Draco had been great company – despite his muggle-hating tendencies – and had spiced things up a bit. While it was always fun to have Ron and Hermione over, it was quite amusing to have a cohort of sorts that didn't fear Snape in the slightest. Suffice to say that Harry was sad to see Draco go but he had to go home. Besides, he was not one of the invitees for boxing day at Alex's home.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Snape asked after Draco had left.

"I did," Harry replied, "Do you think Draco did?"

Snape smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "I'm sure he did," he said, "It was kind of you to invite him. I know that he appreciated it."

"Good," Harry said, "What are you going to do until we have to go?"

"I would very much like to make use of the book Professor Bell gave me and go back to deciphering the ancient texts of Pythagoras," Snape replied, "I don't believe I will have a lot of time to do so once we're back at Hogwarts so I want to make the most of my time now. What about you?"

"What else?" Harry replied, "I would like to try and add those plums Luna gave me to the potion I'm making."

"Don't forget about Draco's suggestion," Snape reminded Harry, "He may not be aiming for a mastery in Potions but he has definitely always been adept in the subject."

"I haven't forgotten," Harry said, "But you don't mind me brewing it by myself?"

"I see no possible disasters happening with the combination of ingredients you have been using thus far," Snape said, "But if you do wish to add something that wasn't on your list yet, I ask that you come to consult me."

"Of course," Harry said easily. "Happy translating."

"Happy brewing," Snape retorted as he made himself comfortable in the sitting room. Zippy was depositing a cup of tea on the table as Harry went down the stairs to the potions laboratory. Another interesting day of brewing lay ahead of him.

* * *

Harry had absolutely no idea how much time had passed when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Harry called and the door opened to reveal Snape. His hair was wet and he smelled like soap. Harry groaned when he realized that it had to be nearly time to go.

"Don't groan," Snape chided, "It's mainly you that wished to be present at Alex and Emma's home, so you can't back out now."

"But I'm nearly done," Harry argued.

"So put a stasis on your cauldron and finish up tomorrow," Snape said. "It's time for you to take a shower and get dressed. We need to be there in an hour's time."

"I understand," Harry sighed. He flicked his wand once to put a stasis on his cauldron and walked up the stairs in clear discontentment.

He very hastily took a shower, making sure that his hair no longer reeked of potion fumes, and got dressed in the nicest muggle clothes he could find. When he came down again, he found Snape dressed in his typical black attire and frowned.

"Black again?" He asked, "No, absolutely not. Out of the question."

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

"You are going to wear something a tad more colourful today," Harry urged, "You wore all black to their dinner party last year as well. You're not going to a funeral, you know?"

"I am not changing my attire," Snape said icily.

"At least wear a different tie," Harry said.

"Absolutely not."

"I have a nice blue one you could borrow," Harry tried.

"Forget it."

"How about Slytherin green? You must have one of those."

Snape sighed. "It's not going to happen, Harry. Now if you're quite finished, I would hate to run late."

"Fine," Harry muttered.

They both donned their coats and braved the cold weather as they made their short walk towards Alex' house. Snape had once again bought a bottle of wine - a 1985 Bordeaux - and had handed Harry some flowers to give to Emma. When they arrived, Snape straightened his tie and knocked on the door. That's when Harry took his chance. He whipped out his wand which he had hidden in his coat pocket and swiftly muttered a spell. Before Snape had the time to react, his tie had become an azure blue.

Snape opened his mouth to no doubt hit Harry with a scathing remark when the door opened to reveal Emma.

"Severus!" Emma greeted heartily as she pulled the man into a hug, "Prompt as always. And what a gorgeous tie." She then turned her attention to Harry who handed over the flowers with a sheepish grin. "Oh Harry, how kind of you. They're simply gorgeous. Do come in, both of you."

She stepped aside and allowed the two wizards entry.

As soon as they walked into the sitting room, they were greeted by Alex much in the same manner that Emma had greeted them. When Snape handed over the wine, Alex chuckled and clapped him on the back. "Good old Sev," he said, "We can always count on you to uphold proper etiquette and manners, can't we? Handsome tie by the way."

"Thank you," Snape replied through gritted teeth. Harry hid a chuckle in his hand.

"Harry, you must have grown ten inches since the last time I saw you!" Alex exclaimed when he noticed Harry.

"We've seen each other only yesterday," Harry argued.

"Must be a growth spurt," Alex said knowingly.

"Where's Charlie?" Harry asked.

"Oh, he's at his grandparents'" Emma informed them, "So don't worry about waking him up. He's not here. Now don't mind me, I'm just going to put these flowers into some water."

When Alex had Harry and Snape alone, he motioned for them to come closer and whispered in a hurried tone: "I am so sorry but Emma invited one extra person tonight."

Snape frowned. "A tad unorthodox but I'm sure we'll manage."

"You don't understand," Alex said, "She invited her sister over."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Really? Why would she do that?"

"Well, _she_ says that it's because her sister is finally back in the area but _I_ say that she wants to introduce her to Severus."

"No," Harry said in an exaggerated tone of voice, "She wouldn't."

"Oh, but she definitely would, my young friend," Alex said, "You don't know her as well as I do and she _lives_ for this sort of thing."

"What sort of thing?" Snape asked.

"Matchmaking," Alex said in a horrified voice.

Snape sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Alexander," he growled, "I thought I made it perfectly clear what my wishes are on the matter."

"Oh, I know," Alex said, raising his hands in mock surrender, "Believe me, I do. But there's no stopping Emma once she's got an idea in her head."

"Oh, cheer up," Harry said, "Maybe you'll like her."

"That remains to be seen," Snape drawled, "But I wouldn't get your hopes up; Either way, I appreciate the warning but I think that next year I shall decline dinner at your house."

"He's right," Harry said, "Next time, we should probably invite _you_."

"So, who's ready for the appetizers?" Emma asked as she came bustling into the room. Alex put a finger to his hand to signify that Harry and Snape should pretend like he hadn't said anything so they didn't.

"That sounds great," Harry said honestly. He was already a bit hungry. When Harry looked around the room, he could see that many things had been refurbished or simply replaced with newer things. It was quite clear that Alex was doing very well nowadays.

It didn't escape Harry's notice that Emma kept checking the clock and wondered if her sister was running late. After an hour of waiting and having eaten all the appetizers available, Emma invited everyone to the dinner table which was quite obviously set for five people.

Snape smirked, "Expecting Charlie to come home early?" he asked.

"Oh no," Emma replied, visibly flushing, "I just set a plate for him out of habit, nothing more." Emma glanced outside once more before disappearing into the kitchen with a barely noticeable frustrated sigh.

"Looks like you got stood up," Harry said to Snape who snorted rudely in response.

"I will not lose any sleep over it," Snape said easily.

Emma re-emerged balancing four plates of cheese croquettes. Harry quickly got up and took two of the plates from her.

"You're such a gentleman," Emma said appreciatively as they set the plates down.

"This looks absolutely delicious, my princess," Alex said, "Very much like yourself, in fact!" He took her arm and pulled her into his lap, giving her an exasperatingly long kiss. Snape met Harry's gaze and rolled his eyes. Harry snorted at his father's antics.

"Alex," Emma chided after a while, blushing fiercely, "The food will get cold."

"Can't have that," Alex agreed, "Dig in, everyone!"

At that moment, the doorbell rang twice and Emma got up from her seat immediately. As she rushed towards the front door, Harry could've sworn he heard her mutter 'finally' under her breath.

"Watch out everyone," Alex hissed, "Here she comes."

Harry chuckled. "She can't possibly be that bad."

They heard the door open and heard muffled voices as well as some higher-pitched exclamations that could be expected from two sisters greeting each other. Footsteps came up front and Emma hushed someone behind her before approaching the dinner table somewhat sheepishly.

"Harry, Severus," she said, "I have a confession to make."

"Is that so?" Snape asked sardonically. Harry kicked him lightly under the table, smiling politely all the while.

"I invited my sister over for dinner today as well," Emma said, "She's a bit late but I'm sure you'll get along just fine if that's okay."

Harry knew that Snape did not appreciate being lied to but was amazed by the grace Snape exhibited as he gestured that all was well.

"Oh, good," Emma said at the sign of approval. "Come in, sis!"

A much too familiar chocolate brunette stepped forward, her amber eyes widening as she took in the company in her sister's dining room.

"Maya, this is Severus and that is Harry. Guys, this is Maya."

Harry's mouth fell wide open as his History Professor appeared before him. He glanced at Snape for a sign as to what to do but the Potions Master seemed entirely unable to process this information. Maya seemed equally stunned but was the first to break the tense silence by breaking into a fit of giggles.

"Maya!" Emma chided, "That is not a proper way of greeting my guests."

"Oh Emma," Maya laughed, "You have simply no idea how amusing this is."

Snape snorted and Harry too began to laugh. He was entirely too confused about all of this. If Maya was Emma's sister, did that mean that Emma knew about magic? And if she did, was she aware if Alex visiting the wizarding world every so often? Did she realize that Snape was a wizard?

"Emma," Snape said as he threw a wary glance at Maya. "Could you please excuse us for a moment?"

Emma blinked in confusion a couple of times but seemed to oblige. "I suppose I will need to make some extra food for Maya. Alex, would you care to join me?"

"I actually believe it would be beneficial for Alex to stay for a moment," Snape said. When Emma frowned at him, he smiled at her kindly. "Don't worry, Emma. If I am correct about certain… things, you will soon be informed."

"Fine," Emma said, "But I swear, you're just as weird as my sister is sometimes."

Harry broke into a new fit of laughter at that and Emma left the room.

"So," Maya said, grinning widely.

"So," Alex said, "What's going on here?"

"Maya," Snape said, "Does Emma know you're a witch?"

"Of course she does," Maya said easily, "How could she not? I don't go around obliviating family members, you know?"

"Hold on," Alex said, "A witch?"

"Oops," Maya said, slapping a hand in front of her mouth, "Oh Severus, look what you made me say. I really don't want to keep obliviating Alex. I think it's making him sort of loopy."

"Are you telling me that you've obliviated Alex as well?" Snape asked.

"Frequently," Maya said, "It's so difficult to keep magic hidden from this one."

"No one is obliviating me!" Alex protested, "I have a license."

Maya frowned. "What is he talking about?"

"He's a licensed observer now," Harry interjected, "We took him to the ministry last year."

"You know what," Maya said, "Emma said that she thought the person she was introducing me to was a wizard but I never imagined that I would stumble onto you!"

"Are you sure this is not some very elaborate prank?" Snape asked, "Because if so, I must admit that it's very well executed."

"It's not a prank," Maya said, "I merely came here to have dinner with my sister and her goofy husband. Sure, I knew that I would have to face another matchmaking attempt but that's how that goes."

"This is ridiculous," Harry snorted.

"It's fantastically confounding," Snape agreed. "Alex, if you would summon Emma back into the room. I'll heat up the food."

He took out his wand and placed a warming charm on the plates that were already set on the table. Shaking his head in utter confusion, Alex stuck his head in the kitchen and asked his wife to come back.

"Alright, what's going on here?" Emma asked as she placed a plate in front of Maya.

"Emma," Snape said, "Harry and I are wizards."

Emma glanced at Alex who didn't seem at all shocked by the announcement. She then looked at Maya who was eyeing her somewhat sheepishly.

"You see," Maya said, "I teach History of Magic at Hogwarts. Severus is my colleague. He teaches defence against the Dark Arts and Harry is a student of ours."

Emma looked at her somewhat wide-eyed. "But – that's, - Alex?"

"Ah, that is entirely my doing," Snape said matter-of-factly, "I've had to erase Alexander's memory a couple of times already in the past and thought it prudent to have him registered as a licensed observer instead. He keeps finding out, anyway."

"I knew it," Emma then said, "I knew you had to be a wizard. No one is _that_ good at healing people, no matter how potent you say your herbs are."

"But if your sister is a witch, why didn't you ask her help?" Harry asked.

"She lived in America," Emma said, "And since she doesn't use phones or anything, I couldn't very well contact her."

"I can't believe you knew all along," Alex said, a small smile on his face.

"And I can't believe you've been able to keep this secret," Emma countered.

"What _I_ can't believe is that I just found Severus and Harry in your dining room!" Maya added happily.

"No wonder you're so crazy!" Alex exclaimed, "You're magical!"

"As magical as they come," Maya said with a wink. "Now let's eat please. I'm starving! I got lost on the way here and thought I'd never eat again."

"Don't be so melodramatic," Emma said.

Harry chuckled. "This is mental. And you're all so calm about this!"

Emma and Alex eyed each other for a moment before showing off a big toothy grin.

"We've learned to expect the unexpected from each other," Alex said.

"Surprises like these keep our marriage exciting!" Emma agreed.

"Muggles," Emma and Snape said simultaneously which made Harry laugh again.

"Wine, Severus?" Alex asked and without waiting for a response, he filled Snape's glass to the rim. "No need to be polite. We have enough of everything."

"Yes, how _are_ you managing that, Alex?" Maya asked, "Last I checked, there's nothing interesting to be seen in this town."

"Nothing but Voldemort's place of death," Alex said evenly.

Maya almost choked on her whine. "You're telling me that you're giving wizards and witches tours of that event?"

"Absolutely!" Alex said, "Affluent folk, you magical people. And quite generous as well."

"That's such a relief," Maya said, "For a moment, I thought you might have become a drug lord or something."

"How dare you!" Alex said in mock anger, "I'll have you know that there is no man more honourable in the entirety of this town."

"So did you two have a nice Christmas?" Maya asked Harry, now ignoring Alex completely.

"Absolutely!" Harry said, "Draco and I went sledging. We made Christmas Pudding and we sang Christmas carols!"

"Oh yes," Snape drawled, "They wrote quite the interesting rendition of 'Twelve Days of Christmas'."

"Is that so?" Maya said, "Perhaps I'll have you two perform it in class."

"Merlin, no!" Harry exclaimed, "Please don't. That would be mortifying!"

"So, do you two ever have joint classes?" Emma asked as she put away the last mouthful of food on her plate.

"No, Sissie," Maya said, "I mean, how would that even work?"

"Hm," Emma responded, "Are your rooms close to each other?"

"Not at all!" Maya said, "Severus lives in the dungeons –" Alex snorted – "And I live nearer to the towers."

"Of course Severus would live in the dungeons," Alex said, "Why am I not surprised."

"It's not _that_ bad," Harry interjected, "His rooms are nice… as far as dungeons go, at least. You should come to check them out sometime, Professor Bell."

This earned him a light cuff on the back of his head courtesy of Snape. "Mind your cheek, brat," he said.

Emma chuckled as Alex topped Snape off once more.

"Harry is going to try and get me to fly a broom," Alex proclaimed out of the blue.

"Muggles can't fly brooms," Maya said easily.

"No," Harry agreed, "But I'm trying to brew a potion that could make it possible."

Maya laughed. "Alex on a broom? He would kill himself!"

"Or perhaps I could become the world's greatest quidditch player!"

"Impossible," Harry said, "Because that's me."

"Oh?" Snape said, "Getting a bit cocky, are you? How many times must I remind you that pride is a Slytherin quality"

"Yes well, intelligence and wit are Ravenclaw qualities," Harry retorted, "But that doesn't stop you from making cleverly snarky comments every chance you get."

"Point taken," Snape admitted as he sipped his wine.

"Oh you and your house rivalries," Maya chided, "Some of the best relationships out there are between people from different houses."

Snape made a noncommittal noise.

"Time for the main course," Emma said happily as she went back to the kitchen to fetch the turkey.

"Your sister is quite the cook," Snape noted, "Does her skill run in the family?"

"Goodness gracious, no," Maya said easily, "Kitchens hate me as do pots and pans."

"I would imagine you could get quite lost in the kitchen," Snape smirked.

"Oh please," Harry said, "As if _you_ cook all that much."

"Just because I don't doesn't mean I can't," Snape remarked. "In actuality, I am quite a good cook."

"I can imagine," Maya said, "Isn't every potioneer good at cooking? It's kind of the same skillset, isn't it?"

As the evening progressed, Harry noticed that Alex kept the wine coming in rather large quantities. He wisely decided to only have two glasses but the older and supposedly wiser adults all partook in the emptying of several large bottles. Even Snape didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the amount he was ingesting, but that could honestly have everything to do with Alex who kept secretly topping off his glass.

After dessert – which was a Christmas cake – they all made themselves comfortable in the sitting room where they enjoyed a cup of tea with biscuits. Even when one was stuffed, there was always room for biscuits.

"You know what Severus," Maya said, "You're actually quite friendly when you want to be."

Snape barked a laugh, "I dare you to proclaim that sentiment at the Gryffindor table."

"Oh, they know," Maya said easily, "They see how you're coddling this boy." She pinched both of Harry's cheeks, smiling at him as she did. "Doesn't he look extremely coddled? Look at him!"

Snape regarded Harry for a moment. A smile slowly crept on his face before he finally nodded. "Yes," he admitted, "He is properly coddled."

"Professor Bell," Harry complained, "If you could please let go."

"Oh, Harry," Maya said as she drew him into an impromptu hug that was much too tight. "Call me Maya, would you? My sister says you're practically family! Severus too!"

Snape grunted. "That might be a bit of an exaggeration."

"Or you simply need to drink more wine!" Maya said happily. She took the bottle from the coffee table and poured Snape another glass. Much too Harry's surprise, Snape chuckled pleasantly.

"We're having tea now," he said, "You should be clever enough to know the difference."

"Ah –" said Maya, "Spoken like someone who has never mixed the two before."

"In this country, we respect our tea enough to not mix it with alcohol."

Emma laughed as she snuggled closer to Alex. She kept whispering into his ear as she pointed at Snape and Maya. Meanwhile, Alex just nodded with a goofy grin on his face. Harry kept wondering how these people were all older than him.

"Tell me, Maya," Snape said in a voice that Harry could only describe as sultry, "Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar."

Maya giggled as if that was the funniest thing anyone had ever asked her. "A goat's stomach, silly!" she replied, "How are you a Potions Master if you don't even know that?"

Maya shuffled closer to Snape to get to the biscuits. For some reason, Snape had grabbed the entire plate and placed it next to him. At that moment, Harry decided that Snape was entirely too inebriated as was Maya. He would probably be quite cross with Harry the next morning if he did nothing now. And as much as Harry would like to see Snape come out of his shell, doing so under the influence of alcohol would probably do nothing to further any future familiarities.

"It's time to go home, Severus," Harry said.

"Just a moment, Harry," Snape replied. He had picked up a biscuit and held it out of Maya's reach. Maya tried grabbing it but apparently couldn't think of the solution to simply stand up to take the biscuit away from Snape. Instead, she half leaned over him to try and get it.

"_Now_, dad," Harry urged.

Snape groaned and tossed the biscuit Maya's way. "I'm afraid that Harry is quite right. We would best be going."

"Do you have to?" Alex asked, "It looked like you were having fun."

"I must admit that it was an enjoyable get-together," Snape said as he rose from his seat, "But all good things must come to an end."

"Not history," Maya said dreamily, "History never ends. It only begins."

"Bye Alex," Harr interrupted, "Bye Emma. I'll see you two later. And I'll see you in school, Professor."

Maya waved her biscuit at him. "See you in school, Harry. Remember to write your essay on troll folklore."

"Already done that, Professor," Harry said. Snape had donned his coat and was ready to go. Even when inebriated, he seemed steady enough on his feet.

"Thank you for a pleasant evening," Snape managed to say before Harry all but pushed him out the door. As they left, they could still hear laughter coming from within the house.

"I didn't require you to rescue me, you know," Snape said and Harry detected a slight slur in his speech pattern.

"You'll thank me in the morning," Harry said. The rest of the walk home they walked in silence but a comfortable one. Harry's annoyance had dissipated already and he was enjoying the cold winter air on his face.

When they reached the door, Snape sort of fumbled with his keys, so Harry took them from him and opened the door.

"Inside and straight to bed," Harry ordered.

Snape managed to raise a sardonic eyebrow. "Harry, I'm almost entirely certain that I have not had enough to drink for you to give me orders."

"Only almost?" Harry asked.

Snape waited for a moment before replying. "Almost," he said and he dutifully went up to his room. Harry followed behind wondering if he was going to have to help Snape even more but the man shut the door in Harry's face.

"I am definitely certain that I'm not inebriated enough for you to take off my shoes," came Snape's muffled voice from behind the door.

"Well, if you're certain," Harry chuckled before going into his own bedroom. It was long past midnight and he was very tired. At least _he_ wouldn't wake up to a headache the next morning. Grinning to himself, he fell asleep.


	27. Chapter 27

I want to thank everyone for their reviews and continued support. The previous chapter was a blast to write and it's so much fun to see everyone's wishes and speculations in regards to Maya and Snape. Thanks for that!

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Harry was the first one to wake up the next morning. But he had guessed as much would be true. For a moment, he contemplated making one heck of a racket as he went downstairs but he decided against it. Snape would no doubt be grumpy enough without Harry ruining his morning even further.

So instead, he went down to the potions lab and removed the stasis from his cauldron. He had Zippy bring down some sandwiches as he carefully imbued the plums he got from Luna with his innate magic, smiling slightly as they seemed to brim with life as he did. After he was certain that the magic took, he chopped the plums into small cubes and added them to the concoction.

Then came the most complex part of this particular potion. The stirring. Harry had realized that in order to 'confuse' the magic that would seek to repel muggles, he would need to lead it astray with a set of tricky stirring motions that he had been able to set up with Snape's help. He took the piece of parchment on which he had written down the instructions and started stirring.

Two clockwise. One counter. Four clockwise. One counter. One clockwise. Seven counter. And so on.

Harry didn't even notice when the door creaked open, nor when a large shadow was cast as Snape came down the stairs. He did notice it when the man finally approached him to watch what he was doing but he was not startled or brought out of his concentration.

Thirteen clockwise. Five counter. Two clockwise. Wait five seconds. Another two clockwise.

Harry was nearing the end of the text that described the move-set he needed to respect. As he stirred, the potion changed colour numerous time. Sometimes, it seemed to shift into two colours at once before they mingled slowly and turned into an entirely different colour. It was as if he was working with a liquid rainbow.

Until finally, he stopped. Not wasting any time, he hauled the cauldron off the fire and cast a freezing spell at the bottom, effectively draining all warmth from the potion.

"Nicely executed," Snape said evenly when Harry started bottling the potion.

"Thanks," Harry replied without taking his eyes off of what he was doing. "Good to see you're finally up. Did you come down here to find a headache reliever?"

Snape smirked. "Initially yes," he admitted, "But then I saw what you were up to and decided to stay and watch. But now that you've reminded me –" He walked over to the potion rack and grabbed a headache reliever.

Harry imagined that if the roles were reversed, he would be forced to suffer through the headache since it was self-inflicted but he dared not mention this to Snape. The happier the man was, the easier his life would no doubt be.

"Have you eaten?" Snape asked after he had downed the liquid.

"Breakfast," Harry replied, not sure of the current time.

"Then I propose that we share lunch," Snape said.

Harry chuckled. "Are you sure you can stomach food right now?" he asked.

"Don't be such a brat," Snape said grumpily.

A few moments later, both wizards found themselves seated around the dinner table, eating the lunch that Zippy had cooked for them. Harry noticed that Snape ate very little but drank a disproportionate amount of water. Harry enjoyed some eggs – sunny side up – with toast, completely undeterred by Snape's apparent lack in appetite.

"I still can't believe it," Harry said, "You know, how Maya ended up being Emma's sister. Or did you forget?"

"My memories are very much intact," Snape grumbled, "And yes, it is quite the coincidence."

"I think muggles should have a code word or something," Harry said, "I mean, Alex and Emma both knew about the existence of magic but kept it a secret from each other."

Snape groaned. "Really, Harry, how would that even work?" he asked, "On the other hand, don't answer that. I'm not in the mood for pointless chatter."

"Fine," Harry said, "In that case, let's talk about the potion."

"The muggle magicker potion, you mean?" Snape asked glumly.

"That's the one," Harry replied entirely too cheerful. "I am ready for another test phase."

"Do as you wish," Snape replied, "But could you hold off until tomorrow? I feel like I should be present to cast a cushioning charm should the need arise. And I don't feel up to it today."

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Snape's glare already told him that there was no point.

"Alright," Harry conceded. "Tomorrow."

* * *

Tomorrow had been fast approaching and the next morning, Snape had been entirely ready to get an early start again. His grumpy demeanour had once more deflated into his common snarky attitude and he found himself reading the newspaper long before Harry had even stirred from his slumber. The headline of the day was not in accordance with the Christmas cheer of the past few days.

_Muggle Mayhem sullies Holidays_

_Last night, the muggle town of Little Hangleton was viciously attacked. A large number of muggles seem to have disappeared overnight while even more muggles have been murdered without any sign of external injuries. Auror Angsley suspects the use of the killing curse._

_But not only muggles were the victims of these horrible attacks. A few resident wizards that have tried to stand up to the assailant in question, have also sadly fallen._

_We can only assume that the culprit is one of the death eaters that are still at large. The last few that were arrested were taken in because of the hero of the wizarding world 'Harry Potter', but it is high time that we become able to rely on our Aurors rather than on the skills of a seventeen-year-old boy.  
_

Snape sighed deeply and set the newspaper aside. This smelled of Rookwood and suspiciously so. It was almost as if the man didn't worry about being found out. His purpose here was not to instil terror – though he did so very well – but something entirely different. If only he could find out what that something was…

"Good morning," Harry yawned as he took the seat opposite Snape.

"Good morning," Snape replied. He intentionally covered the newspaper with his plate and handed Harry the toast. "Are you ready for your experimentation?"

"Absolutely," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear, "What I'm really hoping for –"

But whatever Harry was hoping for would have to wait until later because, at that time, Hedwig swooped in, carrying a package that was neatly wrapped. Another letter was tied to her foot. Harry welcomed her descent with a piece of bacon and released her from her encumberment.

"Is it from your cousin?" Snape asked flatly.

"Let me see," Harry said as he turned over the envelope. Indeed it was. He snorted when he saw that Dudley had once again written his return address on the back of the envelope. Muggle habits die hard. "Yes it is," he finally replied.

He decided to open the package first. He frowned a bit at first when he saw the blue blanket inside but when he extracted the item entirely from the box, he found the initials H.P. embroidered into it. It was soft and smelled clean as if someone had recently washed it. Harry set it aside for a moment before opening the accompanying letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_My apologies that I took so long to write back. I know that I hogged your owl for a few days and I hope you didn't miss her too much, but I needed her to deliver this package. I promise you that I fed her well._

_The reason it took so long is that I was aware of my mother having some of your possessions. Possessions that I think you weren't even aware of having. It took some bargaining and empty promises on my mother's part but I managed to at least extract the baby blanket you were wrapped in on the day you were left on our porch. I wasn't sure if you wanted it but I thought it best to leave the choice up to you._

_I washed it first. It had been in the attic for a while and was rather musty. The embroidery looks really well done. Years ago I heard my mum complaining that her sister had always been better at crafts and how that wasn't fair. I see now that she was right._

_I want to thank you for accepting my apology at least and appreciate that you're okay with keeping in touch. I understand perfectly well that you would have no desire to see me any time soon, if ever. Should you change your mind, feel free to contact me. I will be looking forward to it._

_I hope you had a very happy Christmas._

_Dudley Dursley  
_

"It's my baby blanket," Harry said evenly, allowing his hand to caress the soft fabric. He wasn't sure what to feel at that revelation.

"It was kind of him to send it to you," Snape said softly, watching as Harry's fingers traced the letter H gently.

"I didn't know mum was any good at crafts," Harry said, laughing softly.

"She was," Snape replied, "And she was able to combine her artwork with charms in the most lovely way. There probably was a charm on that blanket as well."

"Do you think so?" Harry asked, eyes wide with wonder as if it was the first time he heard of the existence of charms.

"It seems very likely," Snape said, "Allow me." He raised his wand and gently traced the embroidery with it as he incanted a spell under his breath. A very pale, soft light revealed itself for a very brief moment before fading.

Snape smiled. "I should not be amazed that Lily's charm is still in effect – if slightly – but I still am."

"What does it do?" Harry asked.

"It's a warming charm," Snape revealed, "Quite simple but very elegantly applied. The fact that it survived for more than sixteen years – perhaps even seventeen depending on when she made it – proves just how capable a witch she truly was.

Slowly, Snape's smile fell as he lost himself in the past, now tracing the embroidered letter H with his long, potion-stained fingers. Eventually, he couldn't suppress a slight sigh.

"I know," Harry said as he placed a hand on top of Snape's. "I miss her too."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Alex finally came over after Harry had sent Hedwig to fetch him. He was all eager and ready to go, never even contemplating the possibility that they might be feeding him poison. A fact that Snape found to be very unSlytherin, not that Alex cared about that particular opinion.

"Okay," Harry urged as he held out the vial of potion. The liquid inside seemed to be swirling without prompting. "I think this might be the one. Are you ready?"

"Please," Alex scoffed, "I was born ready!" With an exaggerated movement, he snatched the potion from Harry's hand and downed it in three consecutive gulps. He grimaced terribly after doing so.

"That was ridiculously vile," he said, his face still contracting excessively, "Couldn't you have added some sugar or honey or anything?"

"It doesn't work like that, Alex," Harry told him. From his peripheral vision, he noticed Snape rolling his eyes. He smiled and regarded Alex carefully. "How do you feel?"

Alex looked at his hands and frowned a bit. "I don't feel any different," he admitted.

"No queasiness?" Harry asked, "No tingling in your nose or fingers?"

"My nose?" Alex asked, somewhat perplexed, "No, I feel nothing out of the ordinary."

Harry handed Alex his trust Firebolt, letting it go somewhat reluctantly. "Be careful," he urged, "This broom is very important to me."

"Oh sure," Alex said, "Your broom is. Never mind me, I'm sure I'll bounce if something goes wrong."

Harry chuckled. "Severus will make sure you will," he assured him, "Now, mount it and try to push off a little."

Alex mounted the broom and jumped, looking decidedly silly. He did so a few times and on the third try, he hovered in the air for a bit longer, as if he had taken the jump under water. Harry's eyes widened. "Yes," he said excitedly, "You've almost got it. Try again."

Alex jumped a fourth time and this time he stayed in the air, hovering a few feet high. For now, the Firebolt stayed firmly in place but in the air nonetheless. Alex was trying his very best to stay balanced, occasionally throwing an arm to his side as to not roll over.

"I'm doing it!" Alex shouted, "I'm flying!"

"You are hovering," Snape corrected, "But it's an impressive feat nonetheless. For a muggle, that is."

"Harry, this is great," Alex said in awe. The Firebolt lurched forward a few inches and Alex chuckled. "ho, boy," he told the Firebolt.

"I must admit that this potion is a stroke of genius," Snape said, "Well done."

Harry flushed at the notion of pride Snape exhibited and averted his eyes to look at Alex who was still fumbling somewhat. "I'll bring a second broom next time," Harry told him, "So we can fly together."

"Or you can bring two more and Severus can join us as well," Alex offered excitedly.

"I think not," Snape growled.

Thankfully, no accidents happened. Snape hadn't even needed to cast a cushioning charm. In the end, Alex – though he talked big – did not have the courage to attempt any actual flying. Instead, he had hovered to and fro while Harry took notes. In the end, he timed the potion's duration at seventy-eight minutes. Enough time for most quidditch matches, should that ever become important.

* * *

Harry was stirring the fluid in the cauldron gently as he waited for it to shift in colour. Once it did, Hedwig grabbed a cluster of lavender and hopped over to Harry, extending her foot for him to take the plant from her.

Harry chuckled. "You're such a clever girl, Hedwig," he said.

"She behaves like a true familiar would," Snape said. He too was brewing but he was focusing on a blood replenishing potion while Harry took care of the calming draught. Both were relatively easy to brew and Madame Pomfrey had run out. When Harry had questioned why Slughorn couldn't brew the potions instead, Snape had told him that he'd rather not hand over all of his potion-making duties. He would miss them far too much.

Harry was glad for it, really. Helping Snape brew like this was quite relaxing and fun. Knowing that it was for a good cause was merely secondary.

As Harry sprinkled some bicorn horn dust into his potion, Snape turned down the fire underneath his cauldron to allow the brew to simmer for a few moments.

"So, Harry," he said, wiping his hands on a cloth.

"Hm?" Harry responded distantly.

"I do wonder what your future plans are," Snape said. He placed two hands on his working station and leaned forward expectantly.

Harry chuckled. "What do you mean?" he asked, "Isn't it kind of obvious by now?" he said as he gestured toward his cauldron.

"That's not entirely what I meant," Snape told him.

"Okay," Harry said slowly, "Do elaborate, then."

"Have you given any thought to your romantic leanings?" Snape asked easily as he started chopping up some larvae of the Asian tiger mosquito, "You and Draco seemed to be rather close a few days ago."

"Hold it right there!" Harry protested loud enough for Hedwig to flap her wings in disagreement. "I don't know where you got the idea but I'm not into Draco or any other boy for that matter."

"Do calm yourself," Snape said, some amusement obvious in his voice, "I was merely enquiring."

"For your information, I'm not interested in relationships right now," Harry said in annoyance, "I'm too busy working on my potions." He threw in his poppy seeds as if to emphasize that point.

Snape chuckled. "I do disagree with you," he said, "As I've told you before, you need to spend time on things other than brewing and studying."

"I'm already playing Quidditch," Harry protested, "And I hang out with my friends. I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this."

"I would simply hate for you to miss out, Harry," Snape replied, "You're in your seventh year and as far as I can tell, you haven't explored the possibilities at all."

"Oh please tell me you're not saying what I think you're saying," Harry said desperately, finally looking away from his potion to look at Snape imploringly.

"Need I spell it out for you?" Snape asked, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

"How would you even know?' Harry objected, flushing slightly. "It's not like I told you much about my relationship with Ginny."

"Ah, but you did," Snape countered with obvious ease, "You told me enough to know. And if that wasn't enough to go on, the current red hue on your cheeks is plenty obvious."

The direction the conversation had taken was mortifying enough by itself but the way Snape seemed to enjoy this current trajectory peeved Harry immensely. "Would you stop?" he snarled, "What's it to you if I've had sex or not?"

"I just don't want you to close yourself off just for the sake of brewing," Snape replied, not at all deterred. "It would be a pity if you –"

"What?" Harry interrupted, a mischievous smile now tugging on his lips, "Become like you? Do tell, Severus. How much experience do you have?"

"Do you really want to know?" Snape countered, crossing his arms. "Perhaps you would prefer if I showed you? How are your Occlumency shields nowadays?" The evil smirk on his face implied that Snape would follow through if Harry didn't let up.

"Never mind!" Harry replied quickly, "I retract that statement. But honestly, as far as I can tell, you haven't been with anyone at least since I started school."

"You would not be incorrect," Snape replied evenly. He grabbed a small jar of beetle eyes from the top shelf and shook it a few times, clearly starting to become uncomfortable himself.

"So when will _you_ be bringing home a pretty woman?" Harry teased, "Or man, I don't judge." He leaned forward on the back of his chair, his stirrer dangling lazily betwixt his fingers.

"I am not interested," Snape said through gritted teeth. He sent Harry a deadly glare but the boy knew better than to flinch back by now.

"Oh, but that won't do," Harry said, "You shouldn't spend all of your time brewing and working. You need to be able to let loose. Much like a few days ago."

"Whatever do you mean?" Snape asked, momentarily stopping his chopping.

"What, don't you remember?" Harry teased. He leaned his head in his hands as if he was recalling a precious memory. "Professor Bell was all over you!"

"She was not," Snape sighed, "We were simply both somewhat inebriated." The darkening of Snape's cheeks did not escape Harry's attention.

"Perhaps," Harry teased, "But you did seem pretty happy."

"What part of inebriated don't you understand?" Snape countered harshly.

"I think she fancies you," Harry said in a sing-songy voice. He ducked just in time when Snape threw a rag at his head.

"I must admit that it is rather impressive how you've turned this conversation around to focus on me," Snape said, "But I concede. I will not force you into any romantic relationship of any sort. I simply wanted to express an interest in my son's life."

"Then why couldn't you just say so?" Harry asked in exasperation.

Snape sighed. "I would appreciate it if you kept me informed of your relationship status," he said, "Is that better?"

"I'll see what I can do," Harry said, "But there's nothing going on right now."

"As you say," Snape said."

* * *

I write mainly for my personal enjoyment but I admit that getting reviews makes me really happy! So please take a moment to write something - it doesn't need to be much - And click that little review button. Thanks in advance!


	28. Chapter 28

I loved the response I got from the last chapter. Thank you all so very much! I've said this before but sometimes it's quite surprising to see which chapters are more well-liked than others and the previous chapter was one such case. Alas, Christmas is over and it is time to go back to Hogwarts. I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter as well.

* * *

**Chapter 28**

While Harry had truly had an amazing time in Cokeworth, he was really looking forward to going back to Hogwarts. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione for two weeks but more than that, he was eager to give the potion another try.

After saying their goodbyes to Alex, they left for Hogwarts a few days early, just so Snape could get some things to do with his teaching duties in order. They also needed to drop off their newly brewed potions in the hospital wing.

They were back in time for dinner and Harry noticed that all of the leftover students shared a single table with their teachers. It was elongated but not extensively so. It was quite odd to see, really. Luna sat next to Dumbledore, having a pleasant discussion concerning the mapping of creatures in the forbidden forest as Hagrid interjected occasionally. McGonagall was discussing animagi with a seventh year Hufflepuff and Bell – who had also returned prematurely – was entertaining three Ravenclaws with a tale that would have been utterly boring had Binns told it.

Adding themselves to the group of reorganised Hogwarts occupants, Snape and Harry sat near Slughorn, where some seats were still available.

"Ah Harry, Severus," Slughorn greeted amiably, "So good to see you back here. Did you have a happy Christmas?"

"Very pleasant, thank you," Harry replied politely. "How was yours?"

"Oh, nothing too eventful happened, I fear," Slughorn chuckled, "I've seen Peeves skulk around the dungeons on more than one occasion but besides that, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. I've mostly been working on some personal research."

"Harry here managed to invent an entirely new potion," Snape said as he cut into his beef Wellington.

"You don't say?" Slughorn said in astonishment. "Do tell, is it the one you've been working on for the last couple of months?"

Harry felt himself flush somewhat because of the unwanted attention but replied anyway. "It's a different potion," he said, "Nothing too spectacular, really. It was just something I've been playing around with."

"There's really no need to make yourself or your accomplishments smaller than they are, Harry," Snape chided lightly. "We're all academics here and I'm certain that Horace would be quite interested in your invention."

Harry frowned at Snape who smirked back at him and shrugged.

"Well, alright," he conceded, "I created a potion that will allow for a muggle to interact with magical items such as a broom."

"You don't say," Slughorn said in obvious wonder, "And if I may ask, what did you use for the base of your potion?"

"Dirigible plums," Harry provided, "They were a Christmas present from Luna –" Harry smiled at her when she looked at him at the mention of her name, "- and it occurred to me that they were perfect."

"Inspired!" Slughorn exclaimed, "But what did you use to counter their gravitational pull?"

"I didn't need to use anything," Harry said proudly, "I simply imbued the plums with innate magic and they were ready for use."

"Simply!" Slughorn exclaimed a bit louder than Harry would have liked but the astonishment in the Potion Master's voice fed his sense of pride. Snape simply looked smug. "That is a very high level of skill, Harry. One that not even a fifth of all Potion Masters possess."

"Do _you_?" Harry asked, realizing too late just how rude that question might be.

Slughorn regarded him for a moment before smiling slyly. "I do," he replied, "And I know what it takes to learn this particular skill. I gather you've mastered Occlumency then?"

"In the sense that Occlumency can ever be mastered," Snape replied smoothly, "But yes, the boy is extraordinarily talented when it comes to innate magic."

"Fascinating," Slughorn said, eyeing Harry hungrily as if he was an important experiment. "Have you been able to test the potion yet?"

"Oh, I have," Harry replied easily, "We have a muggle friend that knows all about magic –" McGonagall choked on a potato and Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "- And he managed to stay afloat on my Firebolt after he took the potion."

"Do you think he would be able to use a wand after drinking the potion?" Slughorn asked. Harry thought the man's food must be getting cold as it lay there seemingly forgotten. He thought about the question for a moment.

"As much as any wizard can wield a wand that isn't theirs, I would guess," Harry finally said, "A wizard that has never had any practice with spellwork and magic, of course."

"It would be interesting to see if he could," Snape noted.

"I'm quite certain that this particular muggle would be quite happy to assist you with your experimentation," Dumbledore suddenly interjected, "But I must suggest that you remain cautious. I don't know how the ministry would react to a magic-wielding muggle."

Snape smirked. "Forgive me, headmaster, but aren't you calling the proverbial kettle black?" he asked, "For some reason, a certain antediluvian wizard I know has seen fit to introduce this muggle in question to our world rather dramatically."

Dumbledore chuckled. "I simply hate to see talent and enthusiasm wasted," he said, "And I daresay that the young man is thriving because of my interference, wouldn't you say?"

Most of the other occupants sitting at the table now seemed thoroughly lost. Only Maya occasionally chuckled and cast knowing glances at Snape as well as Dumbledore. Luna certainly looked as if she knew what the conversation was about but she could just as easily be thinking about something entirely different.

"Besides," Dumbledore continued, "Life is simply that much more pleasurable when we understand each other, wouldn't you say so, Maya?" His baby blue eyes sparkled annoyingly bright and with one glance at Snape, Harry knew that his father was thoroughly exasperated.

"Are you telling me you were aware of these impossibly coincidental circumstances?" Snape snarled as he gestured in Maya's general direction.

Dumbledore laughed heartily in response. "My dear boy," he said fondly, "There is very little I am not aware of. Besides, I think it's best that we all try and live our lives as if we were doing so on purpose."

Luna – who sat comfortably besides Dumbledore – laughed disarmingly. "That would certainly confuse death, wouldn't it?" she added.

Dumbledore smiled broadly. "Or make him into our ally," Dumbledore told her softly as if it was a secret he shared only with her.

The other people sitting nearby looked at their headmaster somewhat flabbergasted before everyone went back to their own conversations.

"So about this muggle acquaintance of yours," Slughorn said, picking up where they left off, "Do you think we could convince him to visit Hogwarts at some point in the near future? Finding a muggle test subject is quite difficult and I would be very interested to see your potion in action. Perhaps I could discern some issues or unknown aspects you missed, hm?"

Snape and Harry looked at each other for a moment. "I think he would be quite amenable to the idea," Snape replied.

"Preferably at the next Quidditch match," Harry added, "If Professor Dumbledore would allow it, of course."

"Dear Harry, I am somewhat astounded that you would think me disagreeable with that prospect," Dumbledore interjected again, "While I won't have a flock of random muggles explore these sacred halls of their own volition, I could never reject one of the close friends of one of my staff."

"Close friend is a bit much," Snape protested.

"You had dinner at his house for boxing day!" Maya protested, "And you two seemed pretty chummy to me."

"I'm sure that you were simply seeing things," Snape objected, "Possibly due to the wine."

Maya giggled but didn't object which Harry though to be quite graceful of her. She might as well have pointed out that Snape had been equally drunk. Instead, she just winked at him and said: "Whatever it is you think of Alex, he thinks the world of you. If he were an owl or a cat, you would have a familiar on your hands."

"Alexander is not nearly as useful," Snape said coldly, "Though he did manage to deliver a letter."

Harry snorted, "And he was sort of able to fly."

"Someday we'll make an owl of him yet," Snape smirked, "Perhaps an idea for your next experiment?"

"What, animal transformation?" Harry asked, "That sounds ridiculously hard."

"Impossible, I would say," McGonagall interjected with pursed lips. "It is a fine art to become an Animagus. There is no way that you could bottle the discipline required for the transformation."

"Is that a challenge, Minerva?" Snape asked mischievously.

"Nothing of the sort, Severus," McGonagall said plainly as she daintily lifted her cup of tea. "I would hate for any accidents to happen on my account."

"Perhaps if we were able to distil the innate magic of the animal in question," Harry told Snape, "And combined it with that of the drinker, it might have the desired effect."

"But however would you stop both sources from mingling?" Snape asked. McGonagall groaned in exasperation but was ignored.

"You could entrap the innate magic of the human specimen in water," Slughorn suggested.

"And the beastly essence in oil," Snape finished thoughtfully, "That's quite a brilliant suggestion, Horace."

"But of course," Slughorn told him easily, "Don't forget who taught you."

"But we would probably need to wait for the full moon," Harry continued.

Snape shook his head. "The half-moon is what I believe you should be aiming for," he said.

"Why not both?" Slughorn added, "It would take some time but it might work."

"Honestly!" McGonagall growled suddenly, "You three are impossible. There is no way to create an animagi potion."

"Afraid that it will fail, Minerva?" Snape smirked, "Or worried that it might actually work?"

"Don't come complaining to me when you find yourself trapped," McGonagall said haughtily. But Harry caught her small smile of amusement. When she saw him looking at her and was sure that Slughorn and Snape were discussing the possibilities amongst themselves again, she winked at him. Somehow, Harry thought that she was actually quite pleased to see Snape passionate like this. Or maybe it wasn't _him_ she was pleased about.

Listening to his mentor with a half-ear, he refocused his attention on his chicken.

* * *

The day after Snape and Harry had come back, Dumbledore had summoned Harry into his office and he couldn't help but wonder what he had done wrong now. Maybe Dumbledore was upset about what had happened with the ghosts?

By the time he had arrived at the gargoyle statue, he had worried himself a great deal and found himself playing with a loose strand on his robe.

"Chocolate-covered strawberries," Harry muttered, the gargoyle Dumbledore had dubbed Archibald allowing him passage.

As soon as Harry stepped into Dumbledore's office and saw the brilliantly white smile he was greeted with, all of his worries disappeared.

"Good to see you, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Would you care for a lemon drop?"

Harry chuckled. "No thank you, sir," he declined respectfully.

Dumbledore's eyes shimmered with amusement. "You know," he said, "You always used to take a lemon drop before. I do believe that Severus' dislike for sweets is rubbing off on you."

"I think it's just me growing up," Harry replied easily.

"Ah yes," Dumbledore said, "The unstoppable passage of time. It is quite sad and yet quite happy all the same, wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course, sir," Harry said, not sure what reply was expected of him.

"But I forget myself," Dumbledore chuckled, "I did not summon you here to listen to the mad ramblings of an old fool. No, I wish to discuss with you the potion you have been trying to create."

Harry's heart jumped slightly. So he _was_ here about his most recent mishap.

Dumbledore seemed to read his expression correctly and smiled encouragingly. "No, Harry," he said, "You're not in trouble. Quite the opposite, in fact. I think that I will be able to help you."

"Help me?" Harry said hopefully, "Do you mean it?"

"I rarely say things I don't mean, Harry," Dumbledore said truthfully, "And I wish to support you in any way that I can. Now, have you ever heard of an alchemist's circle?"

"No sir," Harry replied.

"Ah, I didn't think so," Dumbledore said, "You see, as you no doubt know, I've partnered with Nicolas Flamel for an important portion of my life while working on several alchemical discoveries and developments."

"I know, sir," Harry said, remembering his first year well. Dumbledore flashed him a knowing smile.

"While the outcome of your potion was not entirely your desire, it was only to be expected," Dumbledore said, "I don't know if you've ever heard of innate magic?"

Harry grinned, "I have sir."

Dumbledore actually looked surprised at that. "Have you now?" he asked, "Well, that makes this conversation a lot easier already. You see, I believe the reason that your potion summoned ghosts was because it reacted to the innate magic of the castle as well as its inhabitants."

"Do you mean the ghosts?" Harry asked, somewhat perplexed. Potions weren't supposed to do that.

"The ghosts; the students; the teachers; the rats, all of them," Dumbledore replied, "All lives, big and small have an effect on any form of magic that is so decidedly large."

"Large?" Harry asked.

"You are attempting to cross planes, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Even if only in spirit, that takes a tremendous amount of magic. And other spirits interfere with that process."

Harry frowned. "So what do I do about that?"

"The alchemical circle I mentioned earlier – otherwise known as a containment field – would help keep all innate magic that you do not wish for, out," Dumbledore said.

"That's amazing!" Harry said in obvious excitement, "And you will teach me how to make one?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Calm yourself, Harry," he said fondly, "This is not a dangerous or hard spell I'm teaching you. This is actually rather basic. One of the first things a budding alchemist would learn. But I believe that it would benefit you greatly."

Harry didn't care. Impressive or not, it was amazing that Dumbledore himself was willing to teach him this alchemical circle. Anything that would help him, he would take. And as Dumbledore himself had told him before: '_No knowledge is wasted'_.

The circle itself was nothing magical at all. Instead, it was a drawing. A slightly complex drawing, yes, but nothing Harry couldn't handle. He was to draw it in white chalk and make sure that the edges touched each other perfectly to complete the circle. He even noticed some runes that he was familiar with mixed into the edges. It took a mere hour of practising to get it right and for some reason, Harry didn't feel too accomplished.

"Am I doing it right?" Harry asked sheepishly.

"That will do perfectly," Dumbledore told him, "But we won't know for sure what the effect will be until you apply it. Just make sure to take special care to draw the runes for stability and structure correctly lest there be undesirable results. Try it next time and tell me what happens. I confess that I'm rather curious as to what the results will be."

Harry nodded his consent. "Of course, Professor," he said, "And thank you very much for showing me this."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Oh Harry, even though my teaching days have long since passed, I do still enjoy filling the minds of students with all kinds of wonder."

Fawkes thrilled beautifully at that statement.

* * *

School restarted the next day. The tables had been reset in their normal positions and Harry found himself back at the Gryffindor table, surrounded by his friends.

Draco had joined them once again and Harry noticed that he was wearing the Swiss timepiece he had given the boy for Christmas.

"So, you _might_ even wear it _sometimes_, huh?" Harry pointed out with a smirk.

"What can I say?" Draco shrugged, "There's no arguing over quality."

"It's beautiful," Hermione noted, "And it really suits you, Draco."

"It does have an aristocratic feel to it, doesn't it?" Draco said, lifting the piece as he looked at it some more.

A gasp from Lavender Brown made the fearsome foursome look at her. When Hermione caught sight of what she was reading, she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Ignore her," she said, "She's probably fawning over some pretty boy again."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah, '_Witch Weekly'_. Ginny was into that for a while."

Harry would have ignored her but she was showing more and more people the magazine cover and everyone she showed it to either broke into uncomfortable fits of giggles or looked away in obvious embarrassment.

"For once they're not looking over here," Harry murmured, "So it can't be me."

He noticed a few people looking over at the head table and when he looked over himself, he saw Maya sitting there with a self-satisfied smirk on her face and couldn't help but think, '_What did you do now_?'

* * *

Snape was becoming increasingly annoyed at the stares that were directed his way. When he glared at the ones openly looking at him, they would avert their gaze for a while, only to giggle at one of their companions and stare at him once more.

The attention he was getting was mostly female and was directed his way from all tables of all houses. But there were some boys in the mix as well. Thinking for a moment that Harry had something to do with this, he looked pointedly at his son but the boy seemed equally confused.

He sighed deeply when he realized that there could only be one other person that would dare and try to openly embarrass him and that person was sitting right next to him.

"What did you do this time, Maya?" he asked calmly, trying his best not to seem bothered.

"Me?" Maya asked in mock disbelief, "Whatever do you mean, dear Severus? I haven't done a thing."

Suddenly, Sprout broke into a fit of giggles and slid a magazine in McGonagall's direction. Snape noticed that her eyes widened for a moment and that she tried to cover up a smile with her hand as she read.

Having no patience for decorum or etiquette, Snape snatched the magazine McGonagall was reading and stared at it, his own eyes widening in shock.

Right there, on the front cover of Witch Weekly, was a picture of his own face, his expression focused as he carefully and precisely chopped op potion ingredients. He glanced over at his colleagues who seemed to be staring at him with a mixture of shock and amusement. Growling to himself, he looked at the page McGonagall had been reading, his eyes narrowing as he devoured the sappy wording about his person.

_Our most eligible bachelor of the week is none other than renowned Potion Master Severus Snape._

_The intellectual witch might have seen him appear in 'The Practical Potioneer' quite often, and even more so now that he has taken a young apprentice under his wing._

_This man has a brilliant mind that he uses not only for the betterment of the magical community but also to help young witches and wizards develop their own talents. Though stern towards the students he teaches, he is devoted to them wholeheartedly._

_He is amazingly charismatic and possesses dark eyes that are able to read any willing witch like an open book. It will surely take him no time at all to find out your deepest desires and act on them._

_Severus enjoys reading, brewing potions and spending quality time with his son. He prefers a 1985 Bordeaux wine at dinner and his favourite flowers are lilies. While a hard man to get to open up, he actually has a very solid sense of humour and will no doubt surprise you with it if you give him a chance._

_He is very dependable. A loyal and very courageous man who will happily save a damsel (or witch) in distress._

_But don't wait too long ladies for this man will surely be snatched up soon. He is – after all – an extraordinarily rare specimen._

For a moment, Snape felt himself be overcome with mortification as he realized what all those – for the most part underage – witches were babbling and giggling about. He glanced sideways at Maya who sat there looking decidedly smug. He was about ready to throw something at her when he regarded the text a second time.

It was not derisive or mocking. There were no signs of this actually being a prank and any witch who read this magazine would definitely not see it as such. In fact, it was all rather flattering. A 1985 Bordeaux indeed. Who other than Maya would know this? It was the bottle he had brought with him on boxing day. And the lilies? Alex had no doubt told her. He liked telling that story to whoever would listen, after all.

With as much dignity as he could muster, he closed the magazine, handed it back to McGonagall and leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed as he looked at Maya. She was smirking at him and he raised a curious eyebrow, regarding her as he would a particularly interesting potion experiment.

"So," he drawled, "You think me amazingly charismatic, do you?"

Maya blinked a few times, her smirk lessening, albeit slightly. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"It's quite clear that you're behind this, dear Maya," Snape said, "Do you deny it?"

"I might have implied that you would make a fine bachelor of the week," Maya admitted, "Urging the publishers of the magazine to do a piece on you."

"Truly?" Snape asked, "And yet, it would appear that you did slightly more than that."

"Whatever do you mean?" Maya asked. She was turning rather red and Snape smirked in the face of her discomfort. Ah, how the tables had turned.

"This text was clearly written by your hand," he said, "No one else – even at this table – knows my wine preference."

Maya snorted, "So I devoted myself to this prank," she said, "I hope you don't find it too much of a bother."

It was clear that she was trying to distract him into feeling embarrassed again but she could not outslytherin the Slytherin head of house that easily. Instead, he slightly leaned his chin into the space between his thumb and index finger, with the other fingers lightly brushing his lips, the arm propped up on his armrest. A devilish smile adorned his features and his dark eyes sparkled mischievously.

"My dear," he teased, "I do think you've shown your hand much too quickly."

Maya huffed indignantly as Snape expertly turned the entire prank around on the instigator. The article had been nothing if not flattering, after all, so in truth, he shouldn't be too embarrassed. If he thought about it, he rather appreciated the things Maya had noticed about him. Not that that would stop him from handing out some payback. He noticed that a large portion of the attending students was now looking in their direction, as was every member of staff.

"I suppose I did," Maya muttered. She got up from her seat, still red as a Weasley's hair and walked out of the great hall, betwixt the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt thoroughly as a walk of shame that Snape couldn't help but be amused by.

"When you're done with that article, Minerva," he said plainly, "I would very much like to keep it if that's alright."

* * *

The prank war continues! Please let me know what you think because I'm eager to know!  
*Dances* Reviews make me happy!


	29. Chapter 29

_I want to thank everyone for their support and reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
Since I have to go to a staff party, I won't be on the discord for a few hours but I can sneakily update this at work. (Slytherin genes!)_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

After classes the next day, Harry was hurriedly making his way towards the dungeons, eager to give the Umbral Locum another go as well as use the alchemical circle in the progress. Books and scrolls flung chaotically in his bag, he walked slightly off-balance as his load hung from his shoulder. That's why, when he rounded a corner only to find someone standing behind its bend, there was little else he could do but crash into this person.

They were a blur of blonde and green and Harry barely recognised Luna as they both came crashing to the ground.

"Luna!" Harry exclaimed as he saw the girl blink at him in confusion. She looked terrible. A large portion of her face and hair were covered in some sort of green slime that was slowly dripping down her body. She tried wiping it out of her eyes but didn't seem to succeed. Every time she tried to remove the goo, it seemed to duplicate in quantity.

Harry got to his feet and graciously offered Luna his hand, which she took.

"Thank you, Harry," she said, seemingly smiling at him but Harry couldn't be sure at this point.

"What happened?" he asked worriedly.

"I-" Luna stammered before shaking her head and trying again. "Some very lonely people thought they might feel better if they pranked me," she said.

Harry growled as he felt a surge of anger. "That doesn't –" He was about to fly off the handle – he knew – but practising his Occlumency, he kept it at bay and calmed himself. Right now, Luna needed him.

"Come with me," he said. He was still holding her hand and gently pulled her with him as they travelled deeper into the dungeons.

"I will be alright, Harry," Luna told him happily, "There's no need to worry about me."

Harry felt a pang of hurt in his chest when he recognised the underlying tone of sadness in Luna's voice. He recognised it from when he had used the same tone of voice himself, never quite able to fully disguise his hurt.

"You _will_ be alright," Harry agreed with her, "But for now, you _will_ come with me."

Luna didn't say anything after that and agreeably followed Harry into the potions lab. As usual, no one else was there. No one but Hedwig who was sleeping soundly with her head tucked under her wing.

Harry lowered Luna gently into a chair and filled a basin with some water which he spelled warm. He grabbed a clean cloth and a stool, setting it right in front of Luna. She stared at him with her blue-grey eyes and Harry looked back at her as he felt a pang of sorrow for the kind-hearted Ravenclaw. He dipped the cloth into the water and very gently began removing the slime from her cheek, being careful not to aggravate her eyes as he did so.

"Who did this?" he asked gently, dipping the cloth into the water once more and wiping at her forehead. With his other hand, he gently brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face so they would not stick to the slime.

"Just some students in my house," Luna said easily, "They really don't mean to be cruel. I'm sure they thought they were just playing a prank on me."

Harry regarded her for a moment and sighed, now slowly removing the slime from her hair as best he could. "Someone from your own house did this," he said, not even bothering to formulate it as a question. "That's not right."

"No," Luna agreed, "But things rarely are."

"Wait here," Harry said, "Some of it got in your eyes. Let me get something for that."

He walked over to the potions cabinet to get some murtlap essence. He did his best to remain calm and not explode in righteous fury because that was not what Luna needed right now. He knew very well what it was like to be bullied and – even if he rarely got it when he was younger – what he wanted most after such an encounter was just for someone to care. He could be that someone for Luna right now.

He grabbed the murtlap essence and sat back on the stool. Luna was looking at her hands and for a moment, Harry thought her eyes were devoid of their usual dreaminess.

"They tell me I'm a freak," Luna said softly. Harry almost missed it. But those words reignited white-hot anger within him in a flash so sudden that he hadn't the time to control himself before several vials nearby scattered to pieces. Hedwig screeched as they did and Luna flinched slightly.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, grabbing her hand, "I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that – I used to –"

"You remember what it's like," Luna finished for him, smiling gently as her eyes met his once more. "It's quite alright, Harry. You don't frighten me. You never could."

"You're not a freak," Harry told her very sternly, "Don't let anyone ever convince you otherwise."

"It's true that I'm not exactly average," Luna told him gently.

Harry huffed. "Average?" he said, "Average is for those who are too afraid to dream. Average is for the cowards who relish in bullying harmless girls."

He looked at her fondly, willing her to believe him. "No, you are not average," he said, "You are amazing. You are exceptional! You are one of the brightest, most promising witches in here. You are special to a lot of people, including me."

Luna smiled at him genuinely. With his thumb wrapped in a piece of the cloth, Harry wiped away a green smudge on Luna's lips, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Keep your eyes open for a moment," Harry told her as he opened the vial of murtlap essence. "Tilt your head back a bit for me."

She did as he told her, keeping her eyes open as much as he could. Carefully, he allowed a few drops of the essence to fall into her eyes, effectively expulsing any of the green slime that had contaminated them.

"There," Harry said, smiling gently, "Your eyes are their beautiful selves again."

Luna giggled. It made Harry's heart soar to hear it.

"Luna," he said, "Tell me who did this."

Luna smiled kindly. "Why?" she asked, "So you can hurt them? Report them?"

"Well, yes!" Harry exclaimed, "They can't keep doing this to you."

"They only do it because they're not happy," Luna said, "They want others to suffer because _they_ suffer. I don't want to cause them more harm."

"But Luna," Harry protested weakly, "They hurt you."

"And you helped me," Luna told him appreciatively, "And that is truly all I can ask for. It made me exceedingly happy."

"Luna –"

"I will be alright," She gave his hand a light squeeze, "Just like you are."

Harry sighed, but handed her the vial of murtlap essence.

"Three drops per eye," he told her, "Once a day for another week."

"Thank you," Luna said, surprising Harry as she pulled him into an embrace, burying her head in his shoulder.

Almost automatically, Harry placed a soft hand on the back of Luna's hair in comfort, placing his chin on top of her head. Harry felt the need to linger but Luna finally withdrew.

"You know, I always did like the fairy tales about knights in shining armour. Take this as my favour to you, sir knight," And with that, she kissed him on the cheek, swirled around and left. Harry couldn't help but blush.

* * *

Harry found himself drawing the alchemical circle – or containment field – in the exact way that Dumbledore showed him. He paid special attention to the runes that were the basis of the circle and spent the better part of an hour to complete it. When he was nearly done, his knees were hurting from kneeling on the cold dungeon floor.

"What are you doing?" came Snape's curious question from the doorway.

With a grunt, Harry lifted himself from the floor, dusting his robes as he did. "It's a containment field," he said matter-of-factly.

"I know what a containment field is, Harry," Snape chided lightly, "What do you take me for? What I want to know is: why are you drawing it all over my laboratory floor?"

Harry smirked, "Should I answer your question or assume you know the answer already?"

"Mind your cheek," Snape said, smirking slightly, "And do tell."

"Professor Dumbledore suggested that the reason the potion didn't work is because of the castle's innate magic interfering with it," Harry explained.

"Hm," Snape said thoughtfully, "That's not a bad thought. He might be on to something. Did _he_ teach you how to draw the circle?"

"He did," Harry replied.

"Absolutely fascinating," Snape said, "Well, go on then, get to it."

Harry regarded Snape carefully. "Are you just going to be standing there the entire time?"

"At a proper distance," Snape replied, "But yes. If you'll forgive me, my academic interests far outweigh your need for privacy at this moment."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay, as long as you stay away from my circle."

Snape chuckled. "I know that," he said, "I may not be an alchemist but I am aware of its basic science."

Harry gathered all of the ingredients he needed, making absolutely sure that he left nothing behind, grabbed his stirrer and his theorem and finally completed the circle as he and his cauldron remained inside.

For a moment, a sheen seemed to reflect on a dome-shaped wall that emanated from the circle, but it had vanished as soon as it appeared.

"I think it worked," Harry told Snape but he got no response. When he looked at Snape, he could see the man smirk at him.

"What?" Harry asked. Snape rolled his eyes in obvious exasperation and shook his head at Harry.

"I don't – oh," Understanding dawned on Harry when he realized just how quiet it had gotten. He could not hear anything from beyond the circle and he could only assume that Snape – in turn – could not hear him. Well, at least they could still see each other.

Harry shrugged, flashed Snape a toothy grin and went to work. Another thing he noticed – which was quite extraordinary really – was that all of his ingredients seemed to exhibit an unearthly glow. Frowning, he picked up his thestral hooves, somewhat horrified by the deep purple fog-like aura that seemed to emanate from within them. At the same time, the marigold flowers exuded a pleasant orange in a way that Harry assumed scent would look like, were it visible.

When he looked at his own hands, he could see wisps of white emanate from his pores, licking his skin and reaching out to the other colourful variations.

"Innate magic," Harry whispered to himself. He could actually see the innate magic of every object. He glanced at Snape who seemed to be studying him with a calculating look. Harry raised his hands to the man but Snape simply arched an eyebrow. So perhaps, those outside of the circle couldn't see it. Very well. He would best get to work.

For now, he wouldn't change any basic ingredients from his recipe. Perhaps adding the containment circle would be enough to get the potion to work. He chopped his bay leaves; imbued his marigold flowers with innate magic and diced his figs. He grated his thestral hooves and watched the potion change colour as he stirred.

Being closed off from everything else gave Harry a sense of calm that helped his focus greatly. The further he got into the potion, the more obvious the colourful mists around him became. They seemed to be reaching out to him. To be calling him. Whenever he grabbed an ingredient, his own magic seemed to embrace that of the element, mingling for a moment before separating once more. It was nothing short of fascinating.

When Harry would throw in the items, their magic would be absorbed by the scalding hot liquid and become part of the swirling mix of what Harry was starting to think was a semi-sentient potion. Because indeed, the tendrils of magic that protruded from the potion seemed to be reaching out to Harry. They were calling him. Beckoning gently and soothingly. Harry thought that if he listened carefully, he could hear the chimes of little bells.

It was nearly ready. He was sure of it. The liquid was now white. It looked like milk even though the swirls of magic told Harry that the concoction was far more than that. Now all he needed to do was to personalize it.

As he would for the Polyjuice potion, he pulled out a few of his hairs and threw them into the cauldron. The magical tendrils absorbed the gift hungrily and in a manner of seconds, the hairs were gone. Devoured.

The milky white substance had taken on more of a reddish tint and was sizzling violently. A vast portion of the potion evaporated into thin air, leaving only enough substance to fill a single vial. Harry bottled it carefully and dared a peek at Snape who was watching him with visible anticipation. It would probably be best if he broke the containment circle now. Before he drank the potion at least. Snape would want to be able to intervene should something unexpected happen.

With his shoe, he erased part of the circle, breaking the field. Suddenly, he was flooded with sounds he had never realized were there. There were the almost inaudible grunts of stone settling throughout Hogwarts, the distant sounds of chatter and laughter, Snape's breathing and even the occasional sound of rats burrowing into the walls.

"Well, that was certainly… interesting," Snape said. His voice sounded ridiculously loud and Harry frowned as he got used to the everyday sounds of life again.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked.

"Everything's just so loud," Harry said, "Just give me a minute."

Snape nodded and walked over to peer into Harry's cauldron, his boots clicking on the floor. Harry was quickly getting used to the sounds once more and soon he was able to drown out most of the noise once more. When Snape looked inside the cauldron, there was a flash of disappointment in his eyes, probably due to the lack of leftover potion.

"I can always make more if it works," Harry said.

"I suppose," Snape replied uneasily, "Have you recovered?"

"I think so," Harry said uncertainly, "Did you see?"

"See what?"

"The magic that exuded from everything! I think it was innate magic."

Snape frowned. "I noticed no such thing. That's quite peculiar."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"I've never heard of the alchemical circle provoking such a response," Snape replied though Harry had the distinct impression that the Potions Master was talking to himself rather than to Harry. "Could it be because you unlocked your innate magic?"

"Perhaps Professor Dumbledore will know," Harry suggested, "For now, I think I should drink the potion. Can I?"

"Go ahead," Snape said, "But don't forget to thoroughly occlude your mind first."

"I remember," Harry huffed. As if he could forget all those horrid Occlumency lessons he had to endure to be allowed to brew this potion.

Snape gestured to him in a way that told him to carry on with it. So Harry occluded his mind and drank the potion.

Where potions usually had a horrid taste – courtesy of all the strange ingredients one would mix together – this one didn't taste too bad. Harry thought he recognised the taste of fruit, both sour and sweet except that it was off by a few days. Still not too bad in his books.

He vaguely thought to himself that next time he should be sitting down for this when he felt his legs get weaker and his body collapse. He was caught and gently lowered to the ground. He wanted to tell Snape thanks but he couldn't speak. He felt his mind beginning to wander and knew he shouldn't fight it. This is what he wanted. This is what the magic would provide for him.

He closed his eyes and allowed the Umbral Locum to do its work.

A surge of energy suddenly coursed through Harry and he opened his eyes once more. But what he saw was not the potions laboratory, nor was it Snape. There was nothing for him to recognise but he immediately became aware of the feeling of being surrounded. He looked around him as he stood in a greyish void. The stone floor beneath his feet was wet and there were puddles of water scattered here and there. Then, _they_ came into focus.

Hundreds of sprits? Ghosts? Souls? Harry would need to think on it later but right now, hundreds of translucent being surrounded him. Some of them were standoffish, but others were smiling at him brightly. A few of them clapped him on the shoulder and Harry became vaguely aware of the odd sensation of ice, combined with the warmth of touch.

"Hello," Harry said doubtfully, "Who are you all?"

Some of the entities looked at each other while others gave him a mournful look. Harry noticed that one of them attempted to speak to him because his lips were moving, but no sound was conveyed. The academic within Harry came to the surface and he decided that at this point, yes-or-no questions would have to do.

"Are you all deceased?" Harry asked. A couple of the beings nodded.

"Are you ghosts?" A kindly older lady shook her head, smiling at him. Harry thought he recognised her eyes and felt a pang of regret for not knowing her.

"Did you come here against your will?" This elicited some shrugs. Some beings shook their heads while others nodded sharply.

"Who are you to me? Are you family?" Harry asked. Some of the beings nodded while others shook their heads. A mixed batch then.

"Is –" Harry's voice cracked a bit. "Is my mother here? My father?" The beings seemed to be looking around as if they were searching. Harry saw some of them communicate with each other and thought that their sound simply wasn't able to cross over to where he was. Then, the crowd parted and a familiar-looking man with untidy hair stepped forward, a huge grin on his face.

"Dad," Harry said softly. He didn't know why but he was overcome with nervousness. What did he do now? James Potter reached out and ruffled Harry's hair. The mix of cold and warm didn't deter Harry in the slightest. He relished in the touch that was his father's.

"I miss you," Harry said, his voice quivering. A translucent hand caressed his cheek, a thumb wiping away a stray tear Harry hadn't even realized was there. Then, he was overcome with a sense of panic.

"Dad," he said, "Can you see me? In my daily life, I mean." James smiled and nodded solemnly.

"Oh, I-" Harry realized that his dad would've seen the relationship between him and Snape. He would know that he called the man – who had been his enemy back in the day – father.

"I'm sorry, dad," Harry said, "But it's just that Severus has been there for me. He helped me to –"

James seemed pained to not be able to speak to Harry but he didn't hesitate. He took one more step forward and embraced his son. Cold and warmth alike spread throughout Harry's entire body as he returned the embrace. He was vaguely aware of a hand caressing his head.

"Does this mean, you're okay with it?" Harry asked gently. He could feel his father nodding against him. Harry took a shuddering breath, feeling quite exhausted. He pulled back and smiled at James.

"Is mum here as well?" Harry asked hopefully. James shrugged and looked at Harry with piercing eyes. His expression told Harry that he didn't know.

Harry chuckled wryly. "I suppose I'll need to tweak this potion some more," he said, "Maybe next time I'll be able to talk to you, or look for you specifically."

James put a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled. Harry could only hope that his current expression meant that he was proud of his son. It certainly looked like it. He felt a pull at the back of his mind and sighed reluctantly.

"I have to go," he said, "But it was amazing seeing you here."

James nodded and grinned widely.

"Until next time," Harry said as he allowed himself to be pulled back and out of the spiritual plane he had just visited.

He opened his eyes to see Snape look at him. He didn't appear overly worried just yet but there was a hint of distress visible in the man's eyes.

"Did you pull me back?" Harry asked.

"No," Snape said, "It must've been the potion wearing off."

"How long did it last?" Harry asked. He noticed that he was sitting on the floor and got up, testing his legs for stability.

"Two hours," Snape supplied. He offered his arm in case Harry would need it.

"Sure didn't feel like it," Harry grumbled, gratefully accepting Snape's arm. "But I suppose that was to be expected."

"Did it work?" Snape asked. Harry did not miss the hope that exuded from the man's voice and felt a pang of sorrow for him. They walked over to a chair and Harry sat down in it.

"Yes but mostly no," Harry told him.

Snape quirked an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

"I was there," Harry said, "In the other plane if I can call it that. And there were spirits there."

"Spirits?" Snape asked, "As in multiple?"

"Hundreds," Harry sighed, "I don't even know who most of them were but some of them were my family."

Snape waved his wand to summon some tea. "Was there anyone there you _did_ recognise?" he asked, trying his best to make his voice sound neutral but not really succeeding.

"Only my dad," Harry said sullenly, "And I couldn't even talk to him. Not really. They could all hear me, but I couldn't hear them."

"I'm sorry," Snape said, "That must have been hard."

Harry smiled. "Yes, but it was also… nice."

Snape nodded and sipped his tea.

They sat there in silence for a very long time. Harry had finished his second cup of tea when he finally spoke up again. "I'll need to make some changes but I think I'm getting close. That circle really helped."

"I'm glad," Snape said.

"Dad?" Harry said.

"Hm?"

"You know that – no matter what – you're my father, right?"

Snape smiled and looked Harry in the eye. "Always."

* * *

_Aaaah, the potion is starting to work if you'll believe it. Harry is so close now! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter by means of precious, precious reviews._


	30. Chapter 30

Thank you all for your reviews! I hope this next chapter answers some questions and gets some things moving.

* * *

**Chapter 30**

Suffice to say that Harry's brief but emotional encounter with James Potter was more than enough motivation he needed to get right back to work on the potion. As much as he would have preferred to skip class altogether the next day, he knew that his father and master would never let him live it down, so he had to painstakingly make it through the day. Time passed by slowly, except in potions class.

They were creating a level ten antidote that would work on even the foulest of poisons. Exceedingly difficult to make because the ingredients needed to be added rather swiftly and in the correct order. Sometimes it was a matter of seconds in which the ingredients needed to be absorbed by the fluid so there was absolutely no room for contemplation.

Not a single student was talking and even Professor Slughorn kept his mouth shut as he moved about the classroom, not quite as silently as Snape would have, but almost equally so.

As far as Harry was concerned, this potion – though definitely one of the more complicated ones – was no problem at all. He had practised brewing it many times under the watchful eye of Snape. And he was grateful to have done so because the first time he had attempted this particular brew, his cauldron had spat blue fire all over the lab because he hadn't added the chimaera hoof in time.

It was almost like a competition. More and more students had to give up as Slughorn needed to intervene to prevent disasters from happening. The number of things that could go wrong was astounding! So far, one cauldron had exploded while another had imploded. One student had produced the same blue fire Harry once had and one Hufflepuff's concoction suddenly started overflowing excessively, coating the floor in horrible blue sludge.

Near the end, even Hermione needed to be rescued when she added the fire-lizard tales just a tad too quickly and black smoke erupted from the potion. Slughorn banished it immediately and told Hermione to clean her station.

"It's quite alright, Ms Granger," he told her as she was no doubt pouting about the mishap. "For getting this far, you at least deserve an Exceeds Expectation. I hardly expected anyone to get to the last step."

Harry heard Hermione sigh and mumble something under her breath but was much too focused to care. As far as he could tell, there were only three people left in total who were still brewing. Him, Draco and Michael Corner, his defence partner.

Harry stirred the potion feverishly. If he stirred too calmly, the entire potion would harden like cement and be ruined. His arm was starting to hurt but he would not let up now. He would definitely not be outbrewed by a Slytherin.

He heard swearing coming from Draco and glanced over. His stirrer was standing upright in his potion, seemingly stuck. _Like cement_.

Alright, time for the gryphon feathers. Harry needed to add twelve in total, but not at once. Slughorn had come to stand between Harry and Michael, carefully surveying the both of them. The other students were standing on the side-lines, silently watching on as if Harry and Michael were the last contenders in an amazing competition.

Harry threw in the fifth feather. He had arranged them carefully according to size beforehand and was throwing them in from smallest to largest as to not upset the concoction too much at once, much like when you add warm milk to a mixture of beaten eggs. Only a bit at a time or the eggs would react. But his potion didn't. It kept bubbling gently, as Harry stirred with all his might.

He grinned as he thought that maybe seventh-year potions class was not at all boring, after all.

When the last feather was absorbed into the potion, Harry kept stirring feverishly, carefully diminishing the ferocity as the seconds passed by. Eventually, he found himself stirring very slowly until he finally stopped. Rather than hoisting his cauldron of the fire, he doused the flames with a basin of water he had kept nearby. It wouldn't do to reintroduce movement to the potion now.

When it seemed that the potion was perfect and would not still implode nastily, Harry wiped his brow with his sleeve and looked over at Michael. He too was dousing his fire, an intense and focused look in his eyes.

"Well done, boys," Slughorn said enthusiastically, "Harry, I knew you would be able to do it. Well done to you and Michael, I see that you've studied hard!"

"Thank you, Professor," Michael said, "I did indeed."

"Twenty points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw," Slughorn said happily, "And we will be using those potions to restock the infirmary. As for the rest of you –" he turned to face the rest of the class. "- I assure you that failure in this potion's completion did not lead to a failing grade. You will all write an essay on the creation of this potion and where you specifically went wrong and how to prevent that in the future. This will be the deciding factor of your grade for today."

He winked at Harry and Michael. "You two don't need to write the essay, of course," he said, "And you both receive an Outstanding for your work. If there were a grade higher, you would have received it today."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, happy with the praise. "Now, run along. You wouldn't want to keep your next professor waiting, now would you?"

Slughorn received a general murmur in response as students packed their bags in a hurry and left his classroom.

* * *

"Is something wrong, Draco," Harry asked as they walked to their charms class.

"Wrong?" Draco asked, "No, why do you think so?"

"You seemed a bit distracted today," Harry shrugged, "It doesn't seem like you to botch a potion just because of a lack of stirring."

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's nothing," he murmured.

When Harry looked closer, he could see the dark circles beneath his friend's eyes. With a surge of determination, he grabbed Draco's wrist and stopped walking, glancing at Hermione to signify that she should keep going.

"Harry –"

"Don't lie to me, Draco," Harry said softly. He waited until everyone had passed and then let go. "Something's wrong and I'm not going to wait forever for you to tell me."

"I told you that nothing's wrong," Draco snarled.

"You look like death warmed over," Harry pointed out, "And you can't focus." He moulded his facial expression into one that conveyed concern. "Draco," he sighed, "I know what it's like to struggle with certain things on my own. And it's not healthy."

"Oh yeah?" Draco growled, "I know for a fact that you have been keeping secrets from me. So why should I tell you mine?"

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked in genuine confusion.

Draco laughed bitterly. "I noticed when I was at your house," Draco said, "You mentioned something about your relatives and closed off immediately after that. In fact, you never did tell me why you went to live with Snape."

Harry took a step back and glared at Draco darkly.

"But it's fine for you, is it?" Draco snapped. Harry thought he looked like he was about to burst into tears but said nothing of it. "_You_ can keep your secrets but _I_ should just tell you whatever is going on in _my_ life? It doesn't work like that."

"Draco," Harry sighed, "I haven't even told Ron or Hermione the full story."

Draco glared at him and then smiled cruelly. "Then I think you're in no position to lecture me."

He picked up the bag he had dropped on the floor and hoisted it onto his shoulder, starting to walk off. Harry grabbed Draco's shoulder and pushed him roughly against the wall.

"Fine," he spat, "But if I ever hear you repeating this to _anyone_ else. Anyone at all, we are no longer friends." Harry noticed Draco's sharp intake of breath and worried eyes.

"Of course," Draco said, "That's only fair."

Harry realized that they were probably running late for class by now but he didn't care anymore;

"The reason I live with Severus now is that my family… well –" Harry sighed and averted his eyes, "They beat me up. They starved me and they locked me in my room or my cupboard. I've come close to death on more than one occasion."

Harry let go of Draco's shoulder and took a few steps back, licking his upper lip nervously.

After a long pause, Draco finally spoke. "Harry –"

"Don't," Harry urged him, "It's all in the past now. I don't need any reassurances and I don't need your pity."

Draco sighed and averted his eyes, clearly not sure of what he should say.

"What I do need from you, Draco," Harry said, "Is for you to trust me and tell me what is wrong. Waiting for the problem to resolve itself does not work."

"Severus already knows," Draco said, "He's trying to help me."

"With what?" Harry urged.

"My mother," Draco said softly, "She's having problems. The healers think it's because of the stress of everything that's happened with my father; the prosecutions; the stares…"

Harry furrowed his brow in sympathy. "What problems?" he asked.

"They call it stress-induced dementia," Draco said, "It's quite uncommon but of course, the Malfoy family should be so lucky." Draco laughed bitterly. "Severus gave me something that might help her."

"Does it?" Harry asked.

"A bit, I suppose," Draco sighed, "But not that much. I think she's getting worse."

"I'm sorry, Draco," Harry said, putting a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder. He shot Harry a challenging look.

"So, now that I've told you, how are you going to help me?" he asked defiantly.

"By being here for you," Harry said without skipping a beat.

"That's not enough," Draco replied softly, his voice quivering. And yet, he leaned into Harry's touch.

"No," Harry agreed, "But that won't stop me from trying."

Draco chuckled. "You really don't leave someone alone once they've become your friend, do you?"

"Never," Harry said truthfully.

* * *

After the last lesson of the day – which was the charms class to which Draco and Harry had shown up exceptionally late – Harry had gone straight back to the dungeons where he would continue working on his potion. He would absolutely need to substitute some of his ingredients. Perhaps if he –

He walked into the potions lab, and stroked Hedwig absentmindedly in passing, walking straight over to the ingredients cabinet. He perused them all as if hoping that one of them might tell him that it was what Harry needed.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry bumped his head harshly against the shelf when the voice startled him. Groaning, he pulled back and turned around, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

"Luna," he said in surprise.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Luna said dreamily, "Do you have a guilty conscience?"

"What?" Harry protested, "No, I just don't expect anyone to come here.

"But Hedwig is here."

Harry stared at her for a moment before laughing softly. "Yes," he agreed, "Hedwig is here."

"Are you going to brew that potion again?" Luna asked, "I would very much enjoy meeting the ghosts as they come here."

"I'd rather not repeat that, actually," Harry chuckled, "And no, there won't be any brewing today. I need to revise some of my ingredients."

He took a seat and unfurled his theorem. He barely even noticed when Luna took the seat next to him and stared at the parchment in his hands.

"Vulture tongues do not seem right," she mentioned.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Vultures aren't welcoming to the dead at all," Luna pointed out, "They would rather feast on their flesh, wouldn't they?"

"Hm," Harry agreed, "So perhaps Jackal fur instead?"

"That does seem like a splendid idea," Luna said as she clapped her hands together.

"Anything else that seems dodgy to you?" Harry asked, extending the paper so Luna could take a closer look.

"The white cloves seem too narcissistic," Luna said, "This shouldn't be about you but about them."

"Well –" Harry said thoughtfully, not finishing his sentence.

"I am very fond of ghost pipe," Luna said happily.

"Monotropa Uniflora," Harry said eagerly, "Unpollinated, of course. Luna, you're a genius!"

"I'd really rather not be," Luna said evenly, "Genius inspires resentment. I wouldn't want you to resent me."

"I would never," Harry replied seriously.

"Oh, well that's good," Luna replied, joyously accepting Harry's words.

Harry regarded her for a moment, seriously wondering what Luna was even doing in the potion's lab. She wasn't brewing anything nor had she brought any books to study.

"Have people been bothering you again?" he asked as he carefully changed some of his arithmetic formulae.

"Oh no," Luna said, "Not at all. People are usually kind, aren't they?"

Harry looked up from what he was doing. "Are you sure?"

Luna nodded peacefully. "I am quite content, actually. And I think other people might have noticed that. I've been left alone."

"It's a pity that those idiot's don't see how wonderfully your mind works," Harry growled. It was out before he had thought about it.

Luna chuckled. "Eventually, everyone is able to see what sits in front of them," she says, "It takes those that look to others just a bit more time, that's all."

* * *

After a long day where he had been hard at work, Snape liked going to his quarters and sit there in peace, reading a book and indulging himself with a singular glass of Fire Whiskey. But for a while now, the solitude and calm of his private quarters had obviously been disturbed and he was getting increasingly annoyed.

McGonagall had called him crazy or sleep-deprived but Snape knew for a fact that his stack of essays had been rearranged. He knew with one hundred per cent certainty that some of his potions appeared to have been relabelled and it was beyond clear that his books seemed to be moving of their own accord, never respecting the order in which Snape had so carefully placed them.

Today, the glasses Snape used to pour himself his beloved Fire Whiskey no longer sat on the top shelf. No, instead, they were moved to the bottom one. Why would anyone go this far to torment him? Initially – when it had all began – he had suspected Maya to be behind this all but he had to reconsider. These were his private quarters and Maya did not have the ability to get in here without enlisting Harry's help. And Snape knew for a fact that Harry had been engrossed in his studies and hadn't been in his quarters for a while now.

Snape huffed, and with a wave of his wand, he moved the glasses to their rightful place, foregoing the fire whiskey for now since his mood had been dampened considerably.

He was just about to read through one of his novels '_The Signal-Man'_ by _Charles Dickens_ when he heard a knock on his door. Annoyed to be disturbed when he desperately needed some alone time, he considered simply not opening the door. But the knocking resounded a second time. Snape sighed, put his book aside and stalked over to his door.

"What?" he asked as he opened his door rather swiftly. He was more than a little bit surprised to see Maya standing at the other side. He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her.

"Are you lost again?" he asked.

Maya chuckled but it sounded a bit forced. "Not this time," she said, "The signs you put up have helped me greatly in manoeuvring through the castle."

Snape took in Maya's fidgety appearance and frowned. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

"May I come in?" Maya asked in return.

"If you are not planning on releasing a family of mice or anything of the sort," Snape said evenly.

Maya chuckled again and Snape noted that it still didn't sound genuine. "Very well," he said, "Come in and have a seat."

"Thanks," Maya said, sitting in front of the fireplace. "Oh," she added as she noticed the book on his side-table. "I didn't peg you for a Dickens-enthusiast."

"On occasion," Snape told her, pouring her a cup of tea. "Now," he said sternly, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I believe we need to talk," Maya said.

Snape was genuinely confused. "About what?" he asked, "Did something happen with Alex?"

"Oh no," Maya said, "Nothing of the sort. No, I meant that we needed to talk about that article. You know, -" she added when Snape raised an eyebrow, "-The one in Witch weekly."

"Ah yes," Snape smirked as he sipped his own tea, "It was a nice try but you forget that you're dealing with the head of Slytherin house."

Maya regarded him carefully, staring as if Snape had grown a second head.

"What?" Snape asked.

"Do you truly not realise?" Maya asked, "Or are you being deliberately obtuse?"

Snape furrowed his brow at the History Professor and gently placed his cup on its saucer. "Surely, I have no idea what you're implying," he said carefully.

Maya turned rather red as she too set down her cup. She clasped her hands firmly in her lap and breathed in deeply as if she was gathering courage.

"Maya –"

"I like you," Maya blurted out. Snape's eyes widened slightly and he found himself staring at the woman in front of him.

"All those things I wrote in the article – well – I believe them all to be true," she said, "I really admire you and I have for a while now."

Snape's lips tightened and his stare hardened. Up until now, their pranks had all been innocent and fun but this? This went too far.

"That's a rather cruel thing to say, don't you think?" Snape said harshly. "I would think that an intelligent woman such as yourself would understand such a thing as boundaries but clearly you do not."

"Severus, I-"

"No," Snape interrupted coldly, "I don't know who put you up to this or what gave you this idea but you can consider this relationship we've had between us to be over."

To Snape's shock, Maya actually began to cry. A fine actress indeed.

"You don't understand!" she pleaded, "I never –"

"Spare me your redundant excuses," Snape snarled, "I've heard enough. Please leave."

"But I-"

"NOW!"

Snape had never seen a fellow teacher scatter before his gaze as quickly as Maya did at that point. Usually, it was only the students in which he could instil such fright. But frankly, she deserved it. Harmless pranks and jokes were one thing. But playing with a man's heart like that. A man that knew very well that he was unlovable and would remain alone at that. Well, it was beyond cruel. And Snape didn't want a thing to do with a woman that would think such actions funny or acceptable.

Beyond angry, Snape aimed his wand at the book that lay waiting for him and blasted it into a million pieces. Bits of parchment floated around him as he sunk into his chair, burying his face into his hands.

* * *

At breakfast the next morning, Harry had piled a lot onto his plate. He was absolutely starving, possibly due to the excitement of the day before.

"So the Monotropa Uniflora has white blossoms when it's unpollinated," Harry explained to the only ones that would listen: Hermione and Neville. " But when its pollinated, the blossoms turn brown."

"Fascinating," Neville said sincerely, "Which blossoms would you need?"

"The white ones would be best, I think," Harry said easily, "Just to preserve purity."

"I think there might be some in greenhouse three," Neville told Harry, "If you want, I could ask Professor Sprout if I can harvest some later."

"That would be great, Neville," Harry said, "Thank you."

"Owl post," Ron said, glad to be able to interrupt their 'boring' conversation. Harry glanced at the owls but didn't see his own snowy white among the mix. Of course, she would still be in the dungeons. What he did see was a very formal looking barn owl head his way.

Without much ado, the owl dropped the next issue of '_The Practical Potioneer'_ next to Harry's plate where it wouldn't get dirty. Harry glanced at the head table to see if Snape received his issue as well. He saw that he did but frowned when he saw Snape sitting there, looking utterly forlorn. For some reason, Bell sat quite a few seats away from the dour man, seemingly just as depressed.

'_What's wrong_?' Harry wrote on his cuff.

After a second, he saw Snape look at him with a dark scowl. Harry pointed at his own cuff as a signal and Snape sighed exasperatedly before looking at it. He took much too long to read the short sentence and did not bother replying. Instead, he looked at Harry pointedly before turning his attention back to his eggs, though they were untouched.

'_Staring at them isn't going to get them into your stomach.'_ Harry wrote.

This time Snape didn't look at him or the cuff. Instead, he got up from the table and left the great hall.

What in the world?

"Harry, I can't believe you got published again!" Hermione said.

Momentarily distracted, Harry looked at Hermione to see that she was already leafing through his magazine.

"Did I?" Harry asked in surprise. "What with? The magic muggle potion?"

"The potion that lets you summon ghosts," Ron said as he glanced over Hermione's shoulder, "Useful for clearing out old haunted houses, I'd wager."

Harry could not bring himself to feel too happy about this new publication. Something was wrong with Snape. Wrong enough to not even smirk at Harry in satisfaction as he found out about the article. What was going on?

* * *

Oh goodness. Do let me know how you feel about this chapter if you can. The next update will be on Monday. *dodges rocks*


	31. Chapter 31

_A big thank you to everyone who reviewed! Don't be too upset with poor old Snape. He's had a lot of bad things happen to him. On that note, please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Harry was very much aware that Snape's personal problems were no concern of his nor would Snape appreciate him prying. That's why Harry tried not to let Snape's attitude get to him at first. But after several days had passed and Snape – as well as Professor Bell – were still sulking like a couple of teenagers, Harry decided that he was sick of it.

Since Snape was hardly approachable when he was in a mood, Harry decided to talk to Bell in the weekend. That's why he found himself standing in front of her door on Saturday morning. He knocked three times and waited patiently. A stumble inside of the office told him that Bell was in. A few seconds later, the door was opened hesitantly.

"Good morning, Mr Potter," Maya greeted in mild surprise, "Did you have questions about the staff of Caduceus?"

"No, Professor," Harry replied, "But I did have some questions. Could I come in, please?"

"Of course," Maya told him, stepping aside to allow Harry entry. When Harry was inside, Maya closed the door and went to sit behind her desk, steepling her fingers as she smiled kindly at her student. "Sit down," she said, "And tell me what's on your mind."

Harry accepted her offer to sit and met his History Professor's gaze. "I hope that I'm not intruding with this…" he said, suddenly wondering why he thought it was a good idea to meddle into the affairs of his father. "But I'm very worried."

Professor Bell frowned. "What are you referring to?" she asked. Her voice was less kind and Harry thought that she might already have a very good idea of why he was there.

"What happened between you and my dad?" he asked, "He looks like you kicked his favourite puppy."

"And what makes you assume that I have anything to do with his current demeanour?" Maya asked flatly.

"Because you look exactly the same way," Harry pointed out.

"I hardly think this has anything to do with you," Maya said softly.

"Perhaps not," Harry agreed, "But I can't just sit by and do nothing while someone I care about is in obvious distress."

"I assure you that the only reason Severus is in '_distress'_ is due to the machinations of his own warped mind."

"Excuse me?" Harry responded, a bit taken aback by the sudden bite in Maya's voice.

Maya sighed. "I apologise," she said then, "I shouldn't have said that. Perhaps you should speak to Severus about this instead."

"He's hard to talk to when he gets like this," Harry said.

Maya laughed bitterly. "You don't say."

"Look," Harry said, "Did you pull a prank on him that went too far or something? Because I'm sure that if that was the case a simple apology would set things right."

"It was nothing of the sort," Maya said sort of angrily, "Though he will tell you that it was."

"Wait, so he thought you pranked him when you didn't?" Harry asked, sufficiently confused.

"Exactly that," Maya said, distress now obvious in her own voice. She seemed to lose all decorum as she huffed and ran a hand through her long hair. "I know that we've been fooling around for a while but can't a person tell someone else that she likes him without being kicked to the curb?"

Maya clapped her hand in front of her mouth after she said that, looking at Harry with thinly veiled embarrassment.

Harry stared right back with utter amazement. "Wait," he said calmly, "You like Severus?"

Maya sighed, "Ignoring the last couple of days, yes," she said, blushing slightly, "Very much so."

"Oh no," Harry mumbled, "And you say he –"

"He threw me out," Maya said, shrugging as if she didn't particularly care. But she was an open book and Harry knew that she did.

"He threw you out," Harry said evenly, "That git!"

"Harry, I don't need you to fight my battles for me," Maya warned when she saw Harry bristle, "We're both adults here."

Harry snorted, "Yes, you would think so, wouldn't you?" he said, "Thank you for talking to me, Professor."

"Harry," Maya said warningly, "Leave it."

"I can't, Professor," Harry told her frankly, "I don't know what his problem is but I assure you that it's not you. I'd rather he stops burying his personal issues within himself."

Maya frowned but said nothing. Taking this as his chance to leave, Harry opened the door and left Maya's office, thoroughly annoyed.

* * *

Harry had gone straight to the dungeons and to Snape's personal chambers. He didn't bother knocking but rather forced his way inside to find Snape in his kitchen. He looked at Harry as the boy came in and raised his eyebrows as he took in Harry's angered appearance.

"Harry, I'm not in the mood," he said darkly.

"Oh, not in the mood are you?" Harry said as he closed the door just a tad too harshly. "I wonder if you even realize what you've done!"

Snape sighed. "What are you upset about _this_ time?" he asked exasperatedly, "Is it because you got published again? Is it because I haven't responded to your messages all the time? I honestly would rather deal with your teenage tantrum some other time. Perhaps we could reschedule?"

"Oh, you think you're so funny, don't you?" Harry growled, "The hilariously sardonic greasy git of the dungeons!"

Snape's gaze darkened even more as he slammed his hands on the kitchen table. "I warned you that I am not in the mood for this," he hissed, "And I will give you one more chance to get out of here before I throw you out myself."

"Like you did with Professor Bell?" Harry challenged.

Snape seemed taken aback by that as was evident by the shock on his face.

"How do you know about that?" he snarled.

"Does it matter?" Harry challenged, "What I would like to know is why you would behave the way you did. If you're not interested, you can tell her that. There's absolutely NO need for you to humiliate her as you did."

Snape sneered, "And I take it that your Gryffindor chivalry compelled you to come set me straight, did it?" he asked cruelly, "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps it was not I that was in the wrong here?"

"Oh really?" Harry countered, "Please do explain then. Go on, I have all day. Explain to me why your response to someone confessing her feelings for you – something that would have no doubt taken a lot of courage – is to throw her out and then shun her from there on out?"

"She was joking," Snape said coldly.

Harry threw up his hands in exasperation. "No, she wasn't!"

"You're far too naive."

"And you're much too cynical."

"Whatever the case, I assure you that Professor Bell does not need you to fight for her."

"Don't you understand?!" Harry shouted, "I'm not fighting for her. I'm fighting for you!"

Snape actually dared chuckle at Harry's outburst. The sound was dark and bitter. "I don't need you to do that," he said, "You know nothing of love yourself. What makes _you_ fit to tell _me_ what to do?"

"I now understand why you had that conversation with me, the other day," Harry said snidely, "I joked about it at the time but you really just don't want me to end up like you."

"Mind what you say," Snape snarled.

"When will you stop excluding yourself from the rest of the world?" Harry said desperately, "My mum is dead! Lily is dead! When will you understand that?"

Snape's look turned into ice and his lips formed a very thin line.

"You are a child, Potter. Ill-equipped to deal with the social hardships of life. But I suppose I should not be surprised seeing how you were brought up," Snape sneered. Harry felt his blood turn to ice at the cruel statement.

To him, it felt as if they had travelled several years back in time. Snape normally never spoke to him like that anymore.

Harry closed off his heart to protect it from the Potions Master's wrath and narrowed his eyes at him. "I really hate you sometimes, you know that?" he said softly but he knew that Snape had heard him.

"Well, right now I'm not too fond of you either," Snape said darkly. "Get out, Potter."

"Fine," Harry replied. Without another glance at the man who he – until a few moments ago – regarded as his father, he stalked out of Snape's quarters and rushed out of the dungeons, regretting that he ever walked into Maya Bell's office that day.

* * *

Harry had skipped dinner that evening, opting for an early night. Anything to stay out of Snape's way for a while. Perhaps once they both had had sufficient time to cool down, they could reconcile. But as Harry went over the things Snape had said in his head, he knew that the time wasn't right for that yet.

The next morning, he had skipped breakfast as well. He half expected Snape to send him a message through his cuff to ask him where he was, but no such message came. Snape was probably still pretty angry himself.

It was a good thing that Harry knew Dobby. When he asked the house-elf to bring him some food, he had gladly obeyed and brought Harry much more than he could possibly eat. A good thing too, because drinking potions on an empty stomach was rarely a good idea.

And now, Harry found himself in the potions lab, painfully aware of how close he was to Snape but not bothering to pay the man a visit. Oh no, he would brew this potion with or without his help.

Harry peered into his cauldron. He had substituted the water base for a honey mead base and was waiting for it to heat up to an acceptable temperature. He glanced towards the edge of the room where Slughorn sat, watching him with great interest. Every now and then, his lips moved and Harry would gesture towards his own ears to signify that he could not hear the man due to the containment field.

Upset as he was, Harry was not stupid. He knew that experimentation with this particular potion should always be supervised and hey, several months ago Snape himself had said that Slughorn might come in handy at some point. Though he probably wouldn't have expected Harry to substitute Snape for him this blatantly.

Well, Slughorn had agreed rather excitedly.

When the honey mead was sufficiently hot, Harry started adding ingredients as he stirred, careful to keep a close eye on the innate magic of everything involved. He incinerated the jackal fur before adding it to the potion and was pleased to see the concoction eagerly swallow the ashes.

The innate magic of the ghost pipe was a gorgeous green that reminded Harry of life and joy. The potion's innate magic seemed to reach out to the ghost pipe before Harry had even fully managed to prepare it.

"Be patient," Harry chuckled before realizing that speaking to a liquid was rather insane. And yet, he could feel its eagerness, its… familiarity in a way. As he was brewing, completely closed off from the rest of Hogwarts and even the world, Harry was able to forget his current strife.

Too soon, he reached the final stage of the potion. He pulled out some of his hairs and tossed them into the crystal clear potion that somehow looked like plain and translucent water. The potion bubbled vigorously, the larger portion of the liquid evaporating as it had done before until there was only enough left to fill one vial. Harry collected it carefully and – with some disappointment – breached the containment field once more.

"Harry," Slughorn said in amazement, "That was fantastic!"

"Thanks, Professor," Harry brushed off the comment, "But now I need to actually test it."

"Of course, of course," Slughorn said. In some ways, he seemed to be even more excited than Harry was.

"The effects of the potion lasted two hours last time," Harry told Slughorn, "I don't know if the timeframe will increase with the changes I made but if I am out for more than three hours, it's best that you go get Professor Dumbledore."

"Of course," Slughorn said agreeably, "I'll keep a close eye on the time."

"I suspect it will be a bit boring to watch me but I'm counting on you, Professor."

"Harry," Slughorn, "I understand my duty as a Potions Master. I'd rather you didn't suggest otherwise."

"I apologise, Professor," Harry said, "You're right of course. Well –" he sat down on the floor with his back against the wall. He occluded his mind as he had done before and lifted the potion to his lips. "Bottom's up!"

He downed the potion in one, placing the empty vial next to him so it wouldn't shatter when he lost consciousness. He looked at Slughorn and saw his face going out of focus.

And then, the potions lab disappeared altogether. Harry felt a tug on his mind and allowed it to transport him to the plane where he would hopefully be able to _talk_ to the spirits this time.

Where last time he had found himself standing in a dark and damp room, he was now sitting in a meadow that stretched as far as the eye could see. Wildflowers and tall grass surrounded him. The sky was a baby blue and even though there was no sun, Harry got a distinct impression that it was warm.

While still taking in the scenery, he was suddenly surprised by two hands covering his eyes. The touch was cold and warm at the same time but the hands were not transparent. Reflexively, Harry raised his hands to cover the ones obstructing his vision.

The hands moved to cup his cheeks and turn his face slightly. And suddenly, Harry found himself staring into the eyes he saw every day when he looked into the mirror. People always told him he had his mother's eyes. It was unreal to have them looking back at him like this.

"Mum," Harry said. The redheaded woman nodded and kneeled next to him. She didn't look like a spirit or ghost or anything. It was almost as if she was really there. Only…

"Mum, can you talk to me?"

Lily opened her mouth and her lips moved as if she was saying something but no sounds were produced.

"Damn it," Harry huffed. Lily gave him a reproving look and Harry snorted. "I'm seventeen, mum. I will use some bad language every now and then." That elicited a sad look from the woman as she grabbed hold of one of Harry's hands.

"Is dad not here this time?" Harry asked. Lily shook her head and placed a hand on Harry's heart. "Do you two talk to each other in – you know – the afterlife?"

Lily twisted her hand a few times as if to say '_In a way'_.

"I'm experimenting with a potion now," Harry told her, "I'm trying to make something that will allow me to talk to you."

Lily placed the tip of her index finger against Harry's temple and gave him a questioning look.

"Are you worried about the consequences to my mind?" Harry asked. Lily nodded.

"Snape taught me Occlumency," Harry said evenly, "I'll be fine."

Lily got up from where she sat and placed her hands on her hips giving Harry _the look_. It was the same look that Molly Weasley sometimes gave Ron when he had caused some sort of trouble.

"Are you trying to tell me I did something wrong?" Harry chuckled, "Because I'm sure that in seventeen years' time, I did a lot of things wrong."

Lily seemed to sigh. She grabbed Harry's arm and pointed towards the cuff he was wearing.

Harry frowned. "Are you upset about Snape?"

Lily gave a sharp nod.

"For what _he_ said or for what _I_ said?" Harry asked.

Lily glared at him pointedly and then held up two hands as if she was weighing something.

"You realize that _he's_ the adult, right?" Harry asked, "I can't help it if he's being a prat."

A pained expression struck Lily's face and she looked away for a moment as if she was caught off guard by a memory.

"Mum," Harry said, "I miss you."

Lily sat back down next to her son and draped her arm around Harry's shoulder. Harry didn't mind the cold tingle. Another hand brushed through his hair and he couldn't help but think that life would've been a lot different for him if he could've had a loving mother.

"I miss all of you," Harry then said, "You, dad, Sirius…"

Gently, Lily lifted Harry's arm and brought the cuff into focus again.

"I know," Harry said softly, "I have Severus now. And I appreciate him for it but sometimes he can be such a –"

His mother's hand clasped his mouth and when Harry looked at her in surprise, she shook her head mildly.

"I get it," Harry chuckled, "No cussing."

Lily nodded sharply.

Harry felt a tug at the back of his mind and groaned. He took Lily's hand and held it tight. "I don't want to go yet," he said.

Lily got up and dragged Harry to his feet.

"I've only just gotten here," Harry said, "I'm sure I can stay just a moment more."

Lily shook her head and inclined her head into the distance, signalling for Harry to go. Harry felt another tug at his mind. It was stronger this time.

"Okay," he said, "I'll go. Please just –" Harry stepped forward and drew his mother into a tight embrace. By now, she was slightly shorter than he was. "- Hold me. Just one more time."

Lily's arms enveloped him in one more embrace. Harry thought he could faintly smell her hair if he really tried. He could dimly imagine the sound of her laughter. He could almost… almost be with her.

But she let him go and shooed him away with an exaggerated motion of her hands. With one last look into his mother's eyes, Harry exhaled and let go.

Harry blinked a few times and the potion's lab came back into focus.

"Welcome back, Harry," Slughorn said kindly. He sounded as if he was paying attention to his inflexion and Harry wondered why that was. When he reached for his glasses to right them properly, he noticed that his face was tear-stained. Well, that was just brilliant.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry said, his voice sounding hoarse. "I don't know why I'm crying."

"That's quite alright, Harry," Slughorn said, "Were you able to meet a spirit?"

"Yes," Harry said, righting himself on wobbly legs, "There was only one this time but she –" Harry ran a shaky hand through his hair, "- I still couldn't hear her. There's still something wrong. A reason that the potion is not working to its fullest effect."

"Perhaps one of the catalysts isn't strong enough," Slughorn suggested.

"Maybe," Harry agreed, "I'll have to look into it again. How long was I gone?"

"Two hours and a half," Slughorn said, "So I guess you managed to extend the duration of the potion somewhat, hm?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said, "Maybe."

"I think you need to get something to eat, my boy," Slughorn said, "You've been brewing for hours and then you've been gone for a long time as well. It's nearly dinner time, after all. Come, let me escort you."

"That's okay," Harry said, "I'll eat something in the common room."

"Nonsense!" Slughorn exclaimed, "Come now. I know that you don't feel up to it right now but you'll feel much better after sitting with your friends and getting some sustenance into your body."

"Professor, I-"

"I'll hear no more of it," Slughorn said sternly, "Since I've been supervising your progress for today, I also need to make sure that you recover properly. I won't have either Professor Dumbledore or Snape on my case should you suddenly collapse in the hallway."

Harry chuckled somewhat and sighed. He really didn't want to but on the other hand, he did need to eat. And it would be good to see his friends. "Okay, you win," Harry said.

"I usually do," Slughorn grinned, "Come. Let's walk."

The walk to the great hall was accompanied by discussions and comments about various ingredients and their effects. Suffice to say that the short walk was not enough to determine what was still wrong with Harry's potion but it distracted him enough to be able to walk into the great hall without trepidation once they got there.

"I'll leave you to your friends now," Slughorn said, "Good work today. I know that you'll work it out soon. You're so close! Just remember to let me know once you do, okay."

"Of course, Professor," Harry said. They parted ways and Harry did his best not to look at the head table. He didn't even want to see the expression on Snape's face right now. He had walked in with Slughorn after all.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked as he took his seat.

"Yeah, you do look a bit knackered," Ron added.

"I've been brewing all day," Harry explained, conveniently leaving out the part where he had tested the potion and seen his mother. It had been emotionally draining and truly, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed.

"Well, it's good to see you show up for a meal," Hermione said motherly, "You have to eat something."

"Dobby brought me breakfast this morning," Harry told them, "It's not like I've been going without."

"Well, could you make sure to tell Snape that next time?" Ron asked pointedly, "He came looking for you here at lunch and was absolutely furious that we didn't know where you were."

"I'm sure he wasn't mad at you," Harry said, tearing off a piece of bread, "He's mad at me."

"I'm sure he's just worried," Hermione pointed out.

"I don't know," Harry said, "We had a pretty bad fight."

"Even so," Hermione said smartly. "That's what people who love you do. They care for you even at the moments that you don't get along."

Harry felt a pang of guilt and finally looked at the high table. Snape was there. He was staring at his plate again, his food still untouched.

* * *

_Throw some love my way, if you could. Reviews are greatly appreciated as you well know._  
_In any case, thanks for reading!_


	32. Chapter 32

_Thank you all for your reviews! They made me so very happy. I hope you're not all too upset with Snape. _

* * *

**Chapter 32**

It had been a long time since Severus Snape had felt as thoroughly depressed as he did now. In fact, it had been since before he had rescued Harry from the Dursleys, welcoming him into his home. Admittedly, the boy had slowly but surely brought colour into his life.

And now, here he was. He had said a terrible thing to Harry in the last fight they had. He had basically taken the fact of Harry's abuse and thrown it in his face. What kind of a horrible man did something like that? He had also managed to drive away Maya. While he was still not convinced that what Maya had told him was not a prank, he had to admit that he had reacted extremely brash. And in doing so, he had chased the woman who had become somewhat of a friend, away. She hadn't spoken with him since that fatefull day. And Harry hadn't even looked at him anymore since their fight.

As the cherry on top, Slughorn had gleefully told Snape about the last experiment Harry had conducted in regards to his potion. The old potions master meant no harm and was clearly simply very excited to be a part of Harry's discovery but it stung Snape nonetheless. Harry had not felt comfortable enough to ask Snape to assist him again and he likely wouldn't anymore unless Snape forced him to. And since Snape was, in fact, Harry's master according to their quite binding contract, that's exactly what he would have to do.

This was a mess. And he had no one to blame but himself for it.

He was pulled out of his reveries by an intruding voice. "Severus," spoke Dumbledore from Snape's fireplace. "May I come in?"

"I've never been able to stop you before," Snape grumbled.

Dumbledore chuckled and stepped out of the fire. "Good to see that you're still up," he said.

Snape frowned. Was it that late already? He had completely lost track of time with being engulfed in his thoughts.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Snape asked plainly, "Did one of my Slytherins misbehave again?"

"Nothing that has come to light yet," Dumbledore said, that infernal sparkle in his eyes hinting for mischief. "No, I have come here for another matter entirely."

"Do elaborate before the clock strikes midnight, Albus," Snape said wearily, "I'm simply not in the mood for one of your longwinded monologues."

Dumbledore sat down in one of Snape's more comfortable chairs. "Then let me get straight to the point," he said, "Maya and you seem to be having some issues and quite frankly, it's bringing the rest of the staff down."

Snape huffed, "I could hardly care less about the feelings of your staff, Albus," he said sardonically, "They are all adults. I'm sure they can get through these tragic times all by themselves."

"I would very much appreciate it if you would take this matter seriously," Dumbledore chided, "You said yourself that you wish to make this conversation brief. If only for that purpose, I suggest you cooperate."

"There's not much to say," Snape said softly, "She told me something personal. I reacted characteristically poor which she took badly of course, and now we're no longer on speaking terms."

Dumbledore frowned. "What did she tell you that made you withdraw into yourself so much?" he asked worriedly, "This isn't like you anymore."

"I would rather not divulge," Snape replied, "It's personal."

"And it's affecting everyone around you," Dumbledore said sternly, "Even Harry."

Snape winced visibly.

"Don't think I haven't noticed," Dumbledore said, "I had hoped that by now you would know not to allow your foolish pride to get in the way of any personal relationships."

Snape smiled grimly. "I will always be a Slytherin, it would seem," he said, sipping his tea.

"Severus," Dumbledore said, a warning evident in his voice. "Your personal matters are your own until you bring about negativity on the rest of us. I will always attempt to resolve any issues with patience and understanding but if you insist on making this difficult, I will be forced to move forward as I see fit."

Though he still spoke softly, Snape knew that Dumbledore was warning him. And all foolish pride aside, he knew very well that Dumbledore was not to be trifled with. He would rather face embarrassment than the man's wrath.

"She has seen fit to tell me that she's enamoured with me," Snape grudgingly admitted, "If you care to believe such things."

Even now, Dumbledore had the audacity to not look shocked. "I realise that it is often the curse of those involved to not realize the feelings one might have for the other but does this really come as a surprise?"

"I beg your pardon?" Snape asked.

"Her feelings for you have been clear to most of us for a while now," Dumbledore said, "In fact, I got the feeling that you were starting to like her as well."

"I won't deny that she has been humorous to have around," Snape said coldly, "But that is all it ever was."

Dumbledore regarded Snape for a while with a knowing look and smiled. "You too are worthy of love, Severus," he said kindly, "No matter what you might think."

"Albus," Snape sighed, "I can't."

Dumbledore sighed sadly. "Unfortunately, I am very much aware of your internal struggle," he said, "and I pray to whatever deities are out there that you may find salvation before it's too late."

"Surely, I know not of what you speak," Snape growled, "Cryptic old man."

"For now -" Dumbledore said, ignoring Snape's jibe. "- I want to impress upon you that our dear Maya meant every word of what she said and apparently you have treated her rather cruelly in return."

Snape nodded and had the decency to look ashamed as he stared at a spot on his carpet. Dumbledore placed a hand on Snape's and smiled kindly. "I know you will make this right."

"At once, headmaster," Snape agreed.

"Thank you, my boy," Dumbledore said, "I've always had the utmost faith in you."

* * *

Snape stalked fiercely through the corridors, his robes billowing behind him like the wings of a bat. "At once, headmaster," he grumbled as he mimicked himself sardonically. "Never mind that it's the middle of the night and it's highly unlikely that Maya will even still be up."

There had better not been any students out of bed after curfew for if Snape caught any, there would be hell to pay.

Finally, he found himself staring at the door that he knew led to Maya's private quarters and stared at it for a good long while. For some time, he wondered what he was going to say to her. He practised the sentences in his head. But how could he do that when the conversation could go every which way? That is, if she would even allow Snape to talk at all.

Growling at his own indecisiveness, he finally raised his fist and knocked loudly on the door. He was about to knock a second time when the door opened slightly to reveal Maya, peering at him from behind the crack. When she saw who it was, she opened the door some more and fixed Snape with a fierce stare. "Can I help you?" she asked icily.

"I have come here to express my apologies," Snape said evenly, "And I would very much like to explain my reaction if you would allow it."

Maya regarded him for a moment. "Severus, it's late," she said.

"I realize that," Snape said, "But I would rather not allow this animosity between us to continue a moment more. That said, if you would prefer to wait until morning, I would understand."

Maya sighed. "Come on in, then," she said, "When you put it like that, I can't very well refuse you, can I?"

Snape attempted a smile that he felt came out somewhat crooked and followed Maya inside. Her quarters looked very much like his own except for the fact that the walls did not consist of stone bricks but were even and dressed in a chocolate coloured wallpaper. The fire in the hearth had almost gone out and Snape suspected that Maya had been getting ready for bed. The night robe she was wearing was certainly an indication of that.

"Sit wherever," Maya said casually, "Would you like some tea?"

"Please," Snape accepted gracefully as he sat down in a blue velvet chair.

Maya conjured a pot of tea and two cups for the both of them, as well as a plate of biscuits and sat down across from Snape.

Snape noticed that – even though they were at odds with one another – Maya blushed when she glanced at him. In his mind, he was kicking himself for his horrible misconduct.

"I have treated you supremely poorly," Snape told Maya. The regret in his voice was genuine. "I truly thought that you were playing a nasty trick on me."

"I would never do such a thing," Maya told him.

"I realise that," Snape said solemnly, "I allowed my own misconceptions and distrust to get the better of me. It is not the conduct of a wise man and I am thoroughly ashamed of the way I acted."

"Is it that hard to believe that someone might be attracted to you?" Maya asked. Snape was relieved to see her relax into her chair, grabbing a biscuit as she leaned back.

"I have never been deemed desirable before," Snape told her plainly.

"Oh, I can't possibly believe that," Maya said, "My bet is that you simply scared any suitors away with your… er-"

"Charming personality?" Snape finished sardonically.

Maya giggled. "Yes," she said, "That."

"It is kind of you to say so, but there's no way of knowing," Snape said. "So you understand the reasoning behind my outburst however misplaced it was?"

"Indeed," Maya said, "And I forgive you."

Snape sighed in relief. "I am glad to hear it," he said, "Now if you'll excuse me –"

"Hold on," Maya said sternly.

Snape – who froze in the middle of rising from his seat – looked at her in confusion before sitting back down. "My apologies," he said, "I'm not sure what else you would wish to discuss and it's getting rather late."

"Don't you think I deserve an answer after all this?" Maya chided.

Snape blinked in confusion. "An answer?" he asked, "I don't recall you asking me a question."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Severus," Maya growled, "Let me say it again. I like you –"

Snape felt himself flush.

"- I _really_ like you, despite your occasional outburst," Maya continued, "and I want to know if you feel the same way about me."

Snape frowned as he clasped his hands in front of him. He hadn't even given this part of the conversation any thought, assuming that it would no longer be relevant. Did he like Maya? Well, she was certainly an agreeable person to be around. But would he be able to think of her the same way he did of – No. He didn't think he could.

"I'm sorry, Maya," he told her after a moment of silence. "But I don't think I do right now."

Maya regarded him solemnly for a moment, then smiled. "For now, you say," she said mischievously, "I sense a chance there."

Snape chuckled softly. "Perhaps," he said, "one day. Now, I shall take my leave and allow you some rest."

"How kind of you," Maya told him, "Very well. Go on and get out of here."

She followed him to her door and opened it for him. Snape stepped out to leave when Maya grabbed his hand and turned him around.

"Just one more thing," she said softly. Before Snape fully realized what happened, Maya leaned forward, standing on her tippy toes and surprised Snape with a passionate kiss that lasted no longer than a few seconds. "That's payback for what you did before," she said, blushing fiercely. "Now we're even. See you tomorrow!"

Maya closed her door, leaving a befuddled Snape in the hallway. The feeling of her lips on his would linger for several more hours.

* * *

When Harry entered the great hall the next morning – flanked by Ron and Hermione – he went to sit in their usual spot. He was much less upset than before and was now thinking about what he could do to get Snape and Maya to make up when he looked at the high table. As he did, his mouth all but fell open in surprise.

Snape and Maya were sitting next to each other, conversing enthusiastically. Maya was brandishing a piece of toast as she told what was no doubt a fascinating tale until a piece broke off and landed in Snape's coffee. Instead of scowling he simply switched his cup with hers and then covered his new cup with a napkin.

"They look happy," Ron said when he noticed Harry staring. "I wonder what happened."

"You and me both," Harry murmured incredulously.

When Snape caught Harry staring, he looked at him remorsefully and wrote something on the cuff. Harry looked at his wrist when the piece of jewellery grew warmer.

'_We need to talk_.' It said.

"No kidding," Harry mumbled but he just nodded at Snape instead of writing a response.

'_After class?_' Came the new sentence and Harry nodded his approval once more.

"On speaking terms again?" Draco asked as he wiggled his way in-between Harry and the Gryffindor girl sitting next to him.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked innocently.

"Oh, don't pretend like there was nothing going on," Draco chided as he stole Harry's last crumpet. "When Snape is in a bad mood, us Slytherins suffer. And let me tell you: We suffered."

"And what makes you think his bad mood had anything to do with me?" Harry asked curiously.

"Ah, your friends are terrible at keeping their mouths shut," Draco said triumphantly. "Isn't that right, Granger?"

"Traitor," Harry chuckled, pointing an accusing croissant in Hermione's face.

"Doth thou threaten the fair lady?" Ron asked haughtily as he grabbed a croissant of his own. "Then I must challenge thee to a duel to the death."

"Thou standeth not a chance!" Harry exclaimed as he knocked the croissant out of Ron's hand with his own. "Thine blade is made from soiled oats while mine was made from tempered grains. Thou hath lost. Fair lady –" he now directed his attention to Hermione. "Thou art hereby claimeth."

Hermione took on a dramatic pose and spoke with a quivering voice: "Art thou truly my saviour? Or hath thou killed my love? I shall not stand by your side for thou art not mine, nor am I yours. Instead, here I shall lie, in the cold arms of my betrothed and remember a time long since past when he and I were gladsome together."

"Bloody hell, Hermione," Ron exclaimed, "That was brilliant."

"I must agree that that was rather lyrical," Draco said, slow-clapping softly for the girl. "Well improvised."

Snape shook his head at the scene unfolding at the Gryffindor table. "This is your fault, you know," he told Maya.

"How so?" Maya asked.

"Filling their heads with history," Snape huffed, "Back in my day, history class was so boring that not one student would repeat its contents outside of class. _Now_ look at them!"

Snape gestured towards Draco who held a baguette underneath his arm, pretending to be stabbed to death.

"What can I say?" Maya said, "History, like love, is so apt to surround her heroes with an atmosphere of imaginary brightness. It has always attracted youngsters to its beauty."

* * *

When Harry reached Snape's quarters later that evening, he didn't dare simply come in. So instead, he politely knocked.

"Enter," he heard Snape say and so he did.

Snape sat waiting for him, a steaming pot of tea at the ready – because of course – accompanied by several slices of treacle tart. Harry looked suspiciously at his favourite treat as a crooked smile found its way to his lips.

"Have a seat, Harry," Snape urged. His voice was not harsh or demanding. It seemed to be careful and soothing. So Harry obeyed. Not that he would've childishly kept standing had he not liked the circumstances, mind you.

"I have quite a lot to tell you," Snape said, "And I'm not entirely sure what to say first."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Harry said, doing his best to sound teasing.

Apparently, it had worked because Snape relaxed somewhat and smiled. "As you say," he said, "Then let me begin by apologising. I should never have said what I said to you. Not only was it untrue but to use your history against you in such a manner was appalling."

Harry nodded. "I admit that it was very disconcerting," he said.

"I can imagine," Snape said, "I was angry because of recent events and didn't think before I spoke. I will make sure not to make that same mistake again."

"And if you do?" Harry asked, raising one eyebrow.

"If I do, I give you permission to curse me," Snape said solemnly, "No unforgivables, though."

Harry snorted. "Shame," he said, "But I suppose that I'll forgive you. As long as you promise to treat me to treacle tart more often."

Snape chuckled. "I can do that."

Harry relaxed somewhat and leaned back comfortably in his chair. "So, I've noticed you and Professor bell get along a lot better again," he said smartly, "Any developments I should be aware of?" The smirk on his face resembled that of a Cheshire cat.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, brat," Snape said sternly, "Nothing happened. I simply went to her chambers to apologise."

"To her chambers?" Harry repeated with a growing interest, "Why would you not simply go to her office?"

"It was late," Snape replied, "She had already retired for the night."

"How convenient," Harry teased; "And what did you do in her private chambers?"

Snape stared at Harry blankly. "Stop regarding me with that filthy teenage mind of yours," he said. "Nothing happened. We talked it over. I apologised. We agreed that a more intimate relationship is not going to happen and then we both went our separate ways."

Harry seemed almost disappointed with that bit of information. "Seriously?" he asked. "This very attractive, funny and intelligent woman takes an interest in you and you say no? Honestly, you must have some pretty high standards."

Snape smiled sadly. "That I do," he said, then quickly tried to change the subject. "Now, if you would please tell me about the last experiment you did with the potion? Professor Slughorn told me all about it but his lack of insight into Occlumency rendered some parts of his explanation somewhat incoherent."

"Well, it was all a lot more focused," Harry said, eager to steer away from the uncomfortable subject himself. "I was able to see just one spirit instead of a whole army. But her touch was still chilly – I'm not sure if I can fix that – and I could still not hear her."

"Who did you see?" Snape inquired.

Harry glanced up at Snape guiltily as he remembered what he had told the man during their fight. "I saw mum," he said, "and she was rather cross with me even though I couldn't hear her."

Snape chuckled fondly. "That does sound like her," he said. "It sounds like you're very close to a breakthrough."

"I think so," Harry said. "Now I just need to figure out what to change. What about all of this isn't powerful enough? The potion seemed to like everything I offered it…"

Snape quirked an eyebrow. "You're talking about it as if it were sentient," he said.

"In a way, it is," Harry said. "Not sentient like you or me or even Hedwig but it feels as if it acts on instinct. Or perhaps _reacts_ on instinct."

"Then I suggest you re-evaluate your offerings," Snape grinned, "Can't have the Umbral Locum be displeased, now can we?"

Harry knew that Snape was joking but at the mention of the word 'offerings', a cold chill crept down his spine.

"Oh no," he groaned. His legs felt like they were made of jelly and if he hadn't been sitting down, he was sure that he would have crumbled. The blood had drained from his face.

"Is something wrong?" Snape asked.

Harry heard the voice but didn't register its meaning as he stared at his folded hands, thinking of the consequences of his discovery.

"Harry," Snape prompted again.

"I know what's wrong with it," Harry explained. "I know why it's not working. You're right. My offering wasn't good enough."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's blood," Harry then said. "The potion needs blood."

Snape regarded Harry in a calculating manner. "If that is the case," he said softly, "Does that bother you?"

"What?" Harry asked, chuckling grimly, "That the potion I created is going to end up being dark magic?"

Snape clicked his tongue in annoyance. "It is not wise to jump to that conclusion, merely because one of the ingredients ends up being blood. Does the potion feel dark to you?"

"I don't think so," Harry said decidedly. "I think it's a matter of balance. This potion works so well with innate magic. If you hadn't taught it to me, I don't think I could've ever gotten this far, really. And I'm starting to think that a sufficient amount of blood might bring the whole concoction into harmony. I know it sounds a bit strange," Harry chuckled when he felt a sudden kinship with Luna, "but I really think this is good. Not bad."

Once more, Snape regarded Harry carefully and then smiled. "If only I had realised just what a knack you have for potions during your first years," he said. "That natural raw talent of yours combined with your inherent understanding of the flow of things is a mixture to be reckoned with."

Harry chuckled. "I learned from the best though, didn't I?" he said.

"From whom?" Snape teased. "Professor Slughorn?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You really want me to come out and say it, don't you?"

"Oh, how that would please me," Snape said evenly.

"Fine," Harry said evenly. "You're the best."

"What's that?" Snape asked silkily. "I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that."

"You're the best Potions Master," Harry admitted annoyedly.

Snape ruffled Harry's hair and grinned. "And don't you forget it, brat," he said fondly.

* * *

_Well, not hope you were hoping this could go I'd wager? Don't worry. Not all is lost! Please leave me a review if you can. It's always appreciated._


	33. Chapter 33

_A big thank you to those who sent me a review. You people put a smile on my face. I know there's quite a bit of speculation going on and I hope that this next chapter might already answer some questions. Lots of things going on in this one so please do enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter 33**

_More Magical Maladies Manifest in Muggles_

_St Mungo's reports a staggering amount of muggles to be admitted to their premises. There have been reports about numerous illnesses including but not limited to Dragon Pox; Cerebrumous Spattergroit and the black cat flue. While usually very treatable in wizards, our magical cures seem to not have the same effect on the muggles in our care._

_There have also been reports of a new malady that is highly contagious and supremely lethal. So far, no cure has been invented for what doctors now call '__**the Dissolving Sweats'**__. Reportedly, the muggles' organs are slowly dissolving from within after which the muggle expulses the destroyed tissue by sweating profusely._

_For now, the unknown disease has stayed contained within the muggle population but we still advise caution. Dr Lovegood asks that if anyone should you notice any muggle in their neighbourhood that is experiencing sudden weight loss; hair loss; vomiting and general weakness, they should notify St Mungo's immediately.  
_

Harry closed the paper with a frown and looked at Hermione. She looked very pale and her hands were shaking.

"Hermione," Harry asked, "are you okay?"

"Just worried," Hermione replied. "This epidemic seems to be getting worse and worse. Do you have any idea how many muggles have died so far?"

"They didn't say," Harry replied, scouring the article again to make sure he didn't just miss it.

"No, they didn't," Hermione said. "They don't want to cause a panic. But the muggles obviously know that something is up and they report hundreds of deaths already."

Harry looked at the high table where Dumbledore was reading the muggle paper '_The Sunday Times'_ with a concerned frown. Snape was rapping his fingers on the table as he seemed to be deep in thought.

"I'm sure your parents will be fine," Ron said. "They're doctors, aren't they?"

"Dentists," Hermione sniffed.

"Tooth doctors, right!" Ron exclaimed. "I'm sure that they know how to stay healthy."

Hermione shrugged. "I suppose," she said. "They _would_ know how to stay away from any contagious people and to wash their hands frequently. They do know what to look out for."

"There you go," Ron grinned, "They will be fine. And you'll see. Someone will find a cure very soon."

"I sure hope so," Harry mumbled, "because, at this rate, Voldemort will still be getting what he wanted, even though he's dead."

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I was just thinking out loud. I'll ask Severus about it later. He's a Potions Master so surely he has some idea of what's going on or what to do."

This brought a hopeful smile to Hermione's face. "I suppose you're right," she said, finally taking a few bites of her food.

* * *

"What do you make of this epidemic?" Harry asked Snape once he got them alone. "any ideas?"

"It is quite odd," Snape replied. "It almost seems as if this is some sort of attack."

"Biological warfare?" Harry suggested.

"Quite so," Snape agreed. "While the magical community has grown resistant to most of the well-known maladies that are going around, the muggles have no such resistance. That's why it's killing them too easily."

"And the dissolving sweats?" Harry asked.

"That is the enigma," Snape admitted. "It almost seems like some sort of horrid combination of a number of maladies that we are already familiar with. Some sort of unholy offspring, if you will."

"So someone is targeting muggles," Harry growled.

"I think that it is no coincidence that this new illness does not seem to affect magical folk," Snape said thoughtfully. "Something in their biological make-up makes the muggles vulnerable against this attack. Something that we are protected against. Of course, this is all speculation."

Snape sighed deeply. "For all we know, it is only a matter of time before the first wizard or witch is affected by this horrid disease. But I honestly don't think that will happen."

"Do you have any idea of where they stand on making a cure?" Harry asked.

"The guild is working on it," Snape told Harry. "Dr Lovegood, in particular, is hard at work, though I imagine he has his hands full trying to keep the muggles alive."

"Hermione is worried," Harry said.

Snape nodded. "I imagine that all muggle-borns and half-bloods with muggles in their families are concerned," he said. "But I assure you that the magical community is doing the best they can."

"Are _you_ trying to come up with something?" Harry asked.

Snape shook his head. "Not right now," he said. "As you are well aware, I have other duties to attend to. Besides, I do not have a sample of the disease and I will not be bringing one into Hogwarts just to attempt something that my colleagues are already working on."

"But _you're_ better," Harry pointed out.

Snape chuckled. "When it comes to diseases at least, I assure you that Dr Lovegood is more proficient than I am."

* * *

Harry cursed himself for his lack of forbearance as he walked out of the main gate and into the direction of the forbidden forest. He would not need to venture in too deeply but he hoped that he would be able to find some recently deceased thestrals. He had run out of thestral hooves for his potion and seeing how they were quite critical to make the concoction work, he decided to try and harvest some himself.

If there weren't any available he would have to order them but that could take a while and Harry wanted to wait as little as possible.

As he walked into the edge of the arboreal enclosure, Harry slowed down his pace and tried to walk as softly as he possibly could. It would not do to spook the herd before he even got to them.

"Good morning, Harry."

Harry all but jumped out of his skin when he was suddenly addressed out of the blue. Instinctively, he had drawn his wand and whirled around to come face to face with Luna. She was hanging upside down from a low-hanging branch, holding on tight with her legs. Her arms were dangling down much like her hair was but she raised one hand to wave at Harry unnecessarily.

"Luna," Harry said," You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Luna smiled serenely. "It's quite alright," she said, "Your heart is strong."

"Thanks, I guess," Harry said, "But what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for the Spotted Snurcax," she said matter-of-factly.

"Okay," Harry said slowly," And why are you upside down?"

"To _find_ the snurcax, you need to _become_ the snurcax," Luna replied easily, "And very much like bats and possums, the spotted snurcax likes to view this world entirely upside down. Very unlike the striped snurcax, mind you."

Harry smiled fondly and shook his head at the blonde. "If you say so, Luna," he said, "Say, have you seen the thestral herd anywhere near here lately?"

"Of course," Luna said, "They are at the creek right now. The morning breeze makes them thirsty, you see?"

"The creek?" Harry asked thoughtfully, "I didn't know there was one here."

"I think you never looked hard enough," Luna said, "People often miss things that cross their paths, simply because it's not on their mind. But I can show you where it is if you'd like."

"I wouldn't want to disturb your search for the er…"

"Spotted snurcax," Luna supplied, "Don't worry. They'll be here all year."

"Thanks," Harry said, offering Luna his hand. "Be careful coming down, okay?"

"Thank you, Harry," Luna said as she took Harry's hand and gracefully dropped down from the branch. "Aren't you just my knight in shining armour?"

Harry chuckled, "Without the armour, you mean."

"And without the horse," Luna added, "Is that why you're looking for the thestrals?"

"No," Harry said, "I was just looking for one that might have recently died. I need their hooves."

"For your potion," Luna said.

"For my potion," Harry agreed, "So, what do you think?"

"Of the potion or the thestrals?" Luna asked, "Or a peculiar combination of the both of them?"

"The thestrals," Harry clarified, "Have any of them died recently?"

"I don't think so," Luna said dreamily, "But maybe if you ask them nicely, they might give you what you need." Her eyes shone with such clarity and determination that Harry did not dare question her.

"Okay," he said somewhat doubtfully, "I'll do that."

"You have grown," Luna suddenly said as they kept walking into the forbidden forest, ducking underneath overhanging branches as they went.

"Have I?" Harry asked, "I'm still not as tall as Ron, I think."

Luna chuckled. "Perhaps not that literally," she said, "I meant it in a spiritual way. I can see that you have a greater understanding of yourself."

"Well, I have been getting a lot better at Occlumency," Harry told her, "Maybe that's what you mean?"

"Perhaps," Luna replied. She clasped her hands behind her back and started skipping ahead of Harry who quickened his pace to keep up with her. They reached a clearing in which a creek streamed calmly. Surrounding the waters stood the herd of thestrals. Some of them raised their heads and looked at the intruders thoughtfully before deeming them safe and going back to their drinking and grazing.

"Hello, Sunspot," Luna greeted as she approached a certain mare, "And how are you doing today? Has your hip gotten better at all?"

Sunspot tapped the ground with her foot a couple of times before bucking and pushing her nose into Luna's outstretched hand.

"Oh, that is so good to hear," Luna said happily, "I do hope that you'll be more careful from now on."

Harry looked around but saw no signs of any of the thestrals being sick or dying. He sighed to himself. It was probably better this way. Luna might not have taken it well had they stumbled upon a body.

"Go on," Luna goaded, "Ask Blueberry to help you. He's standing over there." Luna pointed toward one of the larger thestrals that stood proudly on top of a small hill, his wings folded neatly at his flanks. He appeared to be standing guard while the rest of the herd grazed.

Harry frowned. "You mean for me to just go up to him and… ask for his hooves?"

"That would be a strange thing to do," Luna noted, "Just ask him to help you."

Harry did not think that would be any less strange but he couldn't help but trust Luna. She had – after all – clearly bonded with the herd. She must know what she's doing. So Harry carefully walked towards the stallion that watched his approach carefully but without backing down.

"Hello," Harry said uneasily.

"His name is Blueberry," Luna advised as she threw her arms around a foal, scratching its chest.

Harry cleared his throat and tried again. "Hello, Blueberry," he said, "I'm brewing a potion to be able to talk to the people I have lost."

Blueberry regarded him carefully and for a moment, Harry almost believed that it could actually understand him. He glanced behind him to see Luna sitting down in the grass as a thestral nudged her carefully with its nose before lying down next to her.

"So, I was wondering if you could help me in its creation somehow?" Harry finally said.

For a moment, Harry and Blueberry regarded each other, neither one of them moving even though Harry desperately wanted to move back. But then, the proud stallion turned around and started swishing its tail rather wildly until several hairs dislodged from it.

Harry understood the message immediately and gathered as many of the hairs as he could into the pouch he had brought along for this purpose. When Blueberry started bucking at him, Harry moved back a few steps.

"Thank you, Blueberry," he said solemnly before turning away and searching for Luna again. The girl was crouching next to the creek, a smile on her face. Harry approached her and went to stand next to her. He stared into the water and saw their reflection.

"Did you ever wonder if the person in the water is real, and you're just a reflection of him?" Luna asked seriously.

"I really hope that _I'm_ the one who is real," Harry replied, "Otherwise, everything we've been through was for nothing."

"Well, if you want to be sure…" Luna said. She used her hands to form a makeshift cup and scooped some of the water up. Then she got up and opened her hands above Harry's head, effectively dousing him with the liquid.

"Luna!" he exclaimed, startled by the cold water, "What are you doing?"

"It would appear that you are still you," Luna said easily, "So that means that I am still me."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked mischievously, not about to be outdone by the Ravenclaw. He didn't quite bother with decorum and simply splashed some water in Luna's direction. She was either too slow to dodge or simply didn't want to. Either way, she too was soon soaked.

"That is quite refreshing," she said, smiling brightly. "So what do you see now?"

If Harry had seen the suspicious-looking glint in Luna's eyes, he probably wouldn't have looked away. But he did. And Luna – in a moment of Slytherin clarity – nudged Harry just strongly enough to throw him off balance. Harry – whose reflexes were superior to those of Luna – swirled as he fell, grabbing the first thing he could to try and keep himself upright. When that something ended up being Luna's arm, they both ended up falling into the creek, disturbing its waters and chasing off some of the younger thestrals.

For a moment, Harry sat there feeling quite shocked. Water dripped down from his drenched hair and into his face. He half sat, half lay into the cold water, scrambling to find his glasses when he noticed his movements were restricted since Luna was now laying on top of him, where she had landed. She looked at him with a serene smile on her face, her eyes darting to his hair ever so slightly.

"You have a frog on your head," she said sweetly. Harry chuckled and Luna moved her hand to his head as to remove the frog. But when it hopped away on its own, she settled her hand against Harry's cheek and tapped his nose with her own.

"You are absolutely extraordinary," she whispered.

Harry inhaled sharply as he realized at that moment just how much Luna meant to him. With a rush of courage, he pressed his lips against hers, gently putting a hand in her neck as he closed his eyes and lost himself in the moment.

When she stroked his hair and deepened the kiss, he realized that he felt truly happy.

* * *

Harry had never felt more excited in his life. Even the day he first came to Hogwarts didn't feel like this. He completed the containment field and shivered when he sensed its dome engulf him once more. He didn't know why he felt like this but something told him that today would be the day. He would finally be able to finish the Umbral Locum.

He felt like a composer as he worked on the potion. The honey mead simmered pleasantly, the tendrils of magic stretching all around him. He revived the ghost pipe with his innate magic before adding it to the brew. He added the burned jackal fur as he would add pepper to a juicy steak. He stirred the potion with the practised and precise movements of a master.

Harry wasn't even remotely distracted by Snape waiting patiently at the other side of the alchemical circle. In fact, he even forgot that the man was there. He relished in the silence that was now his own and felt invigorated by the colours of magic all around him as they were revealed by the circle. This felt right.

Harry tossed in the carefully peeled bark of the weeping willow and quickly added the moth wings before the bark was completely immersed. The crow feathers he dipped in honey made specifically from Gorse flowers before adding them to the concoction as he stirred.

Swirling colours of purple, red, green and orange seemed to spur him on as he stirred and added, chopped and diced. He monitored the fire like a mother would her sleeping child and reacted every time it seemed to change. Not a thing went wrong.

The heat that rose from the cauldron drew Harry into a warm embrace. The popping of small bubbles sounded almost like the ringing of bells and the scent that emerged from the fumes reminded Harry of a warm spring day after it rained.

As he stirred, the fluid turned clear while the differently coloured strands of magic swirled inside until a whirlpool of explosive colour seemed to rise from the cauldron, swirling chaotically and yet very controlled.

Harry knew that he was very nearly there. This time he would succeed for sure. He grabbed the knife he had gotten from Snape for Christmas and was about to cut into his hand when the energies around him seemed to break and crackle. Harry couldn't say how he knew this but he understood that the potion did not want _him_ to personalize it. No, not him. Not this time.

A tongue of green magic lashed out at the containment field, in the direction that Snape was sitting. Apparently, the dark Potions Master saws nothing as extraordinary as Harry was for he was just sitting there, watching intently but completely relaxed.

Harry smiled when he realized the magic's objective.

He locked gazes with Snape and beckoned for him to come nearer. Snape frowned but did so. He stepped closer until he was at the edge of the containment field. He could not pass it.

Orange wisps danced around Harry's wrist as he stretched out his hand. It breached the circle as he held it out towards Snape. After a moment's consideration, Snape took Harry's hand in his. Harry held on tightly and gently tugged on Snape's wrist, urging the man to step forward. Purple magic was practically licking at the breach Harry had created, almost begging to be allowed to welcome the newcomer as if it was an excited pet.

Snape allowed Harry to guide him inside and stepped through the breach. When he was inside of the alchemical circle, it sealed itself off completely once more. Snape's eyes widened as he took in the display that was dancing magic, a whirlpool of colour emanating from the cauldron and the scents of happy days longs since past.

"Harry," he said. "This is amazing."

Harry smiled knowingly. "This is the creation of Umbral Locum," he said. "This is the connection between the planes."

Magic of all colour was dancing around Snape, gently playing with his hair and cloak, making it seem as if Snape was facing a strong wind. He allowed the magic's embrace and chuckled when a particularly devious strand of red magic tugged at his sleeve.

"Why have you called me in here?" Snape asked.

"The potion does not want me to take it this time," Harry said.

"What do you mean?" Snape asked.

"It's hard to explain," Harry said. "But I've been brewing like this for a while now. I've been communicating with the innate magic of all the ingredients that go into this potion and I _know_ that in a way it is sentient. And right now, it's telling me that it chooses you."

"But are you certain about this?" Snape asked. "This is your creation and I know there are people you want to see."

Harry smiled. "I will get my chance," he said. "For today, this is how it has to be."

He handed Snape his knife – heft first – and waited patiently for the man to take it. Snape regarded Harry carefully before taking the knife from him.

"How much blood will it take?" Snape asked.

"I imagine that it depends on the circumstances," Harry replied, knowing that it was so. "I will tell you when to stop. For now, just cut your hand and open it above the cauldron."

Snape faced the colourful creation and dutifully cut his hand without even flinching. He watched the blood slide down his palm and drip into the cauldron. As it did, the clear solution underneath the whirlpool changed colour.

"More," Harry encouraged, watching alongside Snape as the colour was still changing.

More blood was sucked into the cauldron, the whirlpool doing a fine job of stirring it just right.

"Just a bit more," Harry said when about a cup of blood had been added. "Just a few more drops I think. Okay, stop."

Snape closed his hand and withdrew it. He would cast a healing spell once the potion could no longer be disrupted by the magic.

The whirlpool slowly dissipated to reveal the Umbral Locum below it. It was burgundy in colour and smelled of herbs and spices. The amount was scarcely enough to fill one vial. The magics that had surrounded Harry up until this point all vanished and soon, there was nothing there but silence.

"It's complete," Harry said, feeling incredibly exhausted. He broke the containment field and sat down heavily into a chair. When he looked at Snape again, he almost laughed when he saw how confused the man looked.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, "Didn't you ever see a potion before?"

"I have," Snape said evenly, "But never one that was anchored to me in such a specific and fantastic manner. I can't help but feel honoured."

"The honour is all mine," Harry said. "Now, don't keep me waiting. I want to know if it worked or not."

"You want me to drink this?" Snape asked incredulously.

"It's not poison," Harry chuckled, "What are you afraid of?"

The expression on Snape's face revealed nothing but Harry could take a wild guess.

"You will only find what you need," Harry urged. "Please. I know you can do it."

"Okay," Snape conceded. "I will."

"I would sit down on the floor if I were you," Harry advised. "Unless you want to end up with a cracked tailbone or anything."

"I would rather not," Snape said as he sat down as gracefully as he could.

"Don't forget to occlude," Harry pointed out. Snape sneered at him but did so. And then, he drank the potion.

Years of training Occlumency and Legilimency did not prepare him for this moment. He wouldn't have been able to stop the sensation, even if he had wanted to. It almost felt like apparition, though instead of feeling a hook behind his belly button, he felt one behind his mind.

Before he knew it, he landed near the river in Spinner's End, staring at a piece of wood from the yew tree as it drifted past. And for a small moment, he wondered if he perhaps _had_ apparated after all. Until he heard a painfully familiar voice.

"Hello, Sev."

* * *

_**I will not be updating tomorrow** for the sole reason that I wanted chapter 34 to be the finisher of the week. I know, I know, you all hate me for doing this but I'm asking you to wait just one more day!_

_Please do let me know what you think. Many things happened this chapter. I'm sure you have one or two things to say!_

_See you on Friday._


	34. Chapter 34

_It's nice to see how anticipated this chapter is. I hope it's worth the small wait. For those interested, I suggest listening to **River flows in you** by **Yiruma**. There's a longer version on youtube. It's what I listened to while writing this and I think it fits._

* * *

**Chapter 34**

Snape whirled around to come face to face with Lily Evans. Or rather, Lily Potter. Her brilliantly green eyes seemed to shimmer with happiness as she looked at him. Her long red hair framed her face oh so very perfectly and the smile that graced her lips was the most beautiful thing Snape had ever seen.

"Lily," Snape said breathlessly. "Is it really you?"

"In the flesh," Lily said brightly. "Well, on second thought that's not really true is it?"

Lily grinned as Snape stood stammering. "You can laugh now," Lily teased. "That was funny."

"You look exactly the same as you did when I last saw you," Snape said reverently.

"Ah yes," Lily said knowingly. "It's one of the benefits of dying young. You'll look forever beautiful. Not very good for the skin, though."

Snape chuckled wryly. "I can't believe this worked," he said.

"Did you have so little faith in my son, Sev?" Lily asked. "I've been told that he learned from the best."

"I know what he was doing," Snape said. "And I know what he was trying to accomplish but I dared not hope."

Lily regarded him sadly. "Come with me," she said. "Let's go to our usual spot."

"Our usual spot is gone," Snape said. "It was destroyed many years ago."

"You forget the power of our memories," Lily said easily. "I know that I can find it. You just need to follow."

Lily took Snape's hand in his. Her touch was warm. There was no cold sensation accompanying it as Harry had described before. Snape squeezed gently, never wanting to let go again. She led him past the river, ducking under branches and past shrubberies that Snape knew were no longer there. Eventually, Lily let go of Snape's hand to duck and crawl underneath a hedge of particularly thick bushes. Snape followed only to end up in a familiar clearing. One that hadn't been around for many a year but was remembered fondly nonetheless.

It was small but it was theirs. Theirs alone. Not even Petunia had known about this clearing.

"Sit with me," Lily invited as she patted the grass next to her. Snape sat down, noticing the warmth Lily exuded as he sat so very close to her.

"I do believe we have many things to talk about," Lily said. "Which is why we asked Harry to allow you this potion."

"You asked him to?" Snape said.

Lily smiled. "We were around," she said, "as we always are. And we guided him throughout the process."

"_That's_ why the potion appeared sentient," Snape said.

"We merely gave him a small nudge," Lily explained. "And none of the spirits he tried to contact were malicious. We just feel that we know better than the living who needs to talk to us. After all, we see more of what goes on in your minds than you do."

"And you thought I needed to talk to you more than Harry did?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Harry has come a very long way," Lily said fondly. "His life has been coated in darkness for a long time. But since you took him in and saw him for what he really is, light has been the dominant factor in his life. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for you."

"He deserves to be happy," Snape said.

"So do you!" Lily exclaimed. "Even if you don't think that's true."

"You died because of me," Snape said sullenly as he leaned back. "All because of that ridiculous prophecy. And even when I knew the Dark Lord was after you, I couldn't protect you."

"None of us could have known that Peter would betray us," Lily said soothingly. She wrapped an arm around Snape's waist and put her head on his shoulder.

"I should have –"

"Shoulda coulda woulda," Lily chided, "I will not allow you to wallow in self-pity any longer. If I – Lily Evans – don't deem you responsible for the death of Lily Evans, then by Merlin, you are not responsible for the death of Lily Evans!"

Snape chuckled as he relished the weight of Lily's head on his shoulder. He desperately wanted to embrace her but didn't think it appropriate to do so.

"I need to thank you, really," Lily said in a softer tone. "You took in Harry when he needed you most. James and I are very grateful to you for that."

Snape snorted. "Unlikely," he said.

"I swear!" Lily said in indignation. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Snape groaned painfully.

"Okay," Lily chuckled, "No more death jokes. I'm sorry. But it's true, you know? I know that you and James didn't see eye to eye when you were younger but he grew up. And I know you did, as well."

"Did I?" Snape asked. "I tormented your son for years, simply because James was his father."

Lily let Snape go and shot him an exasperated look. "I know what you're doing, you know," she said smartly. "You're trying to convince me that I should be upset with you so you can keep telling yourself that you deserve all the bad things that happen to you."

"That is absurd," Snape growled, tugging at some grass beneath his closed fist.

"Yes, it is," Lily said knowingly. "So knock it off. You made Harry the happiest he's been since he was left on my sister's doorstep. And sure, you have your faults as does everyone. But I assure you that we have forgiven you."

"Does that include the mutt?" Snape asked sardonically.

Lily laughed. It was a wonderful sound and Snape never wanted to part with it again.

"I'll admit that he was less than happy when he found out that you took Harry in," Lily said in a conspiring tone of voice. "But that had more to do with jealousy than anything else."

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. Lily laughed again, picked some blades of grass and dropped them on top of Snape's head. "Okay fine," she conceded. "Sirius still doesn't like you but you can't be everyone's friend."

"I only wanted to be yours," Snape sighed and stared at a beetle scurrying around in front of him. "I never cared about anyone else."

Lily looked at him sadly. "I know," she said. She placed a warm hand on Snape's cheek and forced him to look at her. When obsidian met emerald, Snape's heart nearly stopped. He so desperately wanted to stay here forever. To be with her.

"I miss you," he said. "The feeling never goes away. I dream of your laughter, of your hand in mine. I dream of what I wish could have been."

Lily sighed as she placed a comforting hand on Snape's knee. "It does not become you to remain stuck in the past," she said.

"I just can't stop wondering," Snape said grimly. He placed his hand on top of Lily's and looked at her. Merlin, she looked so real. So alive. She felt so warm and she smelled of that bottle of perfume he once brewed her.

"Wondering what?" Lily asked, smiling knowingly.

"Had I never called you… that and more importantly, had I never joined the death eaters, would we –" he swallowed thickly as he did his best to gather his courage. Lily simply smiled at him reassuringly, clenching his knee just a bit tighter. "Would we have had a chance?"

"Is that really something you would like to know?" Lily asked.

"It is," Snape said. "Not knowing is the worst of it. And I'm not sure if I'll get another chance after this."

Lily regarded him carefully for a moment, then playfully swept her hair back. She used to do that a lot, Snape remembered. "

"I loved you," Lily said simply. Honestly. "And had our cards been dealt differently, I'm sure that I would have ended up with you rather than with James. But in this lifetime, it was not meant to be."

Snape grimaced painfully. "So it was truly all my own fault," he said. "Had I not been so stupid, you would've –"

Lily placed her index finger on Snape's lips to stop him from talking.

"It's impossible to know what might have been," Lily told him. "And speculation of the past is the worst enemy of the future. I need you to move past all of this."

"But how could I ever move past you?" Snape asked desperately. "You are everything to me!"

"My dear, darling Severus," Lily said kindly. "You have moved heaven and earth to do right by me and eventually by Harry. You have done all that you can for me. And now, there is only one more thing I desperately want you to do for me."

"Anything," Snape breathed.

"Do you promise you will do your best to fulfil my request?"

"I swear it," Snape said.

Lily smiled as she pressed her forehead against Snape's. "I want you to let me go, dear friend." She said. "Unpause your life for me."

She wrapped her arms around Snape's neck and embraced him lovingly. "You deserve all good things that are coming to you. And I forbid you from sabotaging yourself any longer. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," Snape said softly. He hesitantly reciprocated the embrace.

"I'll haunt you if you do," Lily said fondly. "I don't know how that would work, but I'll find out."

Snape chuckled. "I'm sure you would," he said. "You've always been exceptionally clever."

"Clever girls do seem to be your type," Lily said. She drew back and winked at Snape. "So, tell me about this Maya."

"There's nothing to tell," Snape said.

"Come now," Lily teased, "I know she kissed you and I know very well how that made you feel."

"Regardless, she is not you," Snape pointed out.

"No, she's not," Lily agreed, "_I_ am me, and she is her." She sighed and tousled Snape's hair. "It's really not fair to compare the living to the dead you know. The dead don't make mistakes."

"She's just a friend," Snape insisted.

"A fried you like to get a bit drunk with," Lily giggled. "A friend that was all over you last Christmas."

"It appears you and your son share the same confusion about what inebriation does to people," Snape said sardonically.

"Oh come on!" Lily huffed, "It's not like I'm going to tell anyone your secrets. Just admit that you like her already." She stretched out her arms and fell backwards to lay in the damp grass.

Snape joined her and stared up at the clouds. One floated past that looked suspiciously like a Snallygaster. Snape snorted in amusement and rolled his eyes.

A long but comfortable silence stretched between the two of them when Snape spoke again.

"I'll admit," he said slowly, "that I do sense some form of attraction towards her." He felt almost ashamed to admit this to Lily.

Lily snorted before breaking down into giggles. "Some form of attraction?" she asked as she slapped Snape playfully on the shoulder. "Would it really be that much harder to just say that you like her?"

Snape sighed exasperatedly. "Fine," he snarled. "I like her!"

"Yes!" Lily exclaimed victoriously. "Sirius owes me ten galleons!"

Snape turned his head to look at the redhead incredulously. "I don't know what matter to address first," he said. "The fact that you made a bet with the mutt concerning my interests or that you seem to still be using currency."

"We don't," Lily said, "But it's still fun to bet. And we have to do _something_ around here!"

"Yes," Snape agreed. "We wouldn't want you to go out and haunt people."

"What do you like about her?" Lily asked.

"Lil!" Snape exclaimed, "I really don't feel comfortable getting into this right now."

Lily snorted. "For one, she is hot!" she said, counting on her fingers.

Snape stared at her wide-eyed. "That is –"

"What?" Lily interrupted, "Not at all what you're interested in? Please, you're a man. Don't forget that I've seen what's in your mind."

"Who knew that it would take _death_ for you to learn Legilimency," Snape chuckled.

Lily grinned broadly in return. "Was that a _joke_, Severus Snape?" she asked. "Surely, hell has frozen over. Perhaps I should go check."

Snape couldn't help it. The comment wasn't even all that funny but combined with the close proximity of his oldest friend made him erupt into laughter. It was loud and inelegant and soon Lily joined him, the occasional snort from either one of them interrupting the mad chuckles.

"Thank you, Lily," Snape said when he had calmed down.

"Whatever for?" Lily asked.

"For seeing me one last time," Snape replied. "You were right. I was stuck in the past."

"And now?" Lily asked as she absentmindedly placed a hand on Snape's upper arm.

"Now," Snape said solemnly, "I will do my best to honour your last request."

Lily smiled warmly at him. "I knew I could count on you."

Snape felt the sensation at the back of his mind that told him it was time to go. It was what Harry had warned him about, and he knew better than to deny that urge lest he get stuck here forever.

"It would appear that I have to go," Snape told Lily. He was surprised to find that he was rather okay with it.

"I know," Lily said. "Go on then. And remember your promise." In a most tender moment, she grabbed Snape's hand in hers and kissed it fondly. "I love you, Severus."

Snape smiled and squeezed Lily's hand one last time as he gazed into those emerald green eyes.

"I love you too," he said and a moment later, he was expelled from Spinner's End. His eyes fluttered open as he took in the scene that was the potions lab. A sense of calm overtook him that he had not known in a long time and emerald eyes met him once more.

"How are you feeling, dad?" Harry asked.

Snape smiled. "Never better."

* * *

Snape hadn't actually divulged much to Harry about his conversation with Lily. He didn't think it necessary for the boy to know. But he had been over the moon when Snape had told him that the potion was an absolute success and had started taking notes at a furious pace, not even noticing when Snape had retreated to his chambers.

And now he was pacing his sitting rooms, not sure what he was supposed to do from here on out. He could almost hear Lily's voice egging him on. _Come on Sev, you can do it!_

Snape growled at the imaginary voice and continued his pacing. If he was going to do this, he had to do it right. But how should he best approach this? Should he visit Maya in her quarters later that evening, explaining that he had somehow seen the light? Snape huffed at himself for the ridiculous thought and shook his head.

Perhaps he could change the signage he had placed around Hogwarts to direct her to his personal chambers only to act all surprised when she arrived there? What madness! He had never done anything of the sort and didn't have the foggiest idea on how to proceed. He had nearly thrown a throw pillow – which he had been tearing at for a while - into the fire to alleviate some of his distress when the door opened.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked as he eyed the abused pillow in Snape's hands.

With a huff, Snape threw the pillow back in its place and crossed his arms. "I'm thinking," he said.

"Okay," Harry said slowly. He walked around Snape and dropped himself onto the couch, watching with interest how Snape resumed his pacing.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, grabbing one of the biscuits that had been left on the table.

"Things," Snape replied curtly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I can't help you if you give replies like that." He moved his legs onto the couch and lay flat on his back, tucking his arms under his head.

"I assure you that this does not concern you," Snape snarled.

Harry chuckled. "What did mum say that has you so frazzled?" he asked.

"Plenty of things," Snape said through gritted teeth. He really didn't want to get into this with the boy right now.

Harry pointed his wand at the ceiling and conjured a small green light that he made dance across the cement. "And the most disconcerting thing was…"

"Maya," Snape spat.

Harry dropped his wand. "What?" he asked. "How did that come up?"

"Believe it or not, but your mother asked me about her out of the blue," Snape said. "Which is so like her when I think about it."

Harry smirked and flipped himself onto his stomach. "And what did she have to say about that?" he asked. "Does she want you to snog Maya? She does, doesn't she?"

The pointed glare Snape sent Harry's way was apparently enough of an indication. Harry laughed and threw the already abused throw pillow against Snape's pacing form. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "But why does that have you so worked up?"

Snape flicked his eyes skyward in exasperation and stopped pacing. "Because I don't have the slightest idea on how to handle this," he told Harry. "I already turned her down. I can't very well waltz up to her and tell her 'Just kidding'!"

The amusement with which Harry regarded Snape at that moment was nothing short of infuriating but when the brat opened his mouth to speak, it only got worse.

"Well," he said, "since I've already gotten two girlfriends this year, maybe _you_ would do well to take _my_ advice."

"Very cheeky," Snape growled, "And what – pray tell – would… hold on, _two_ girlfriends?"

"Later," Harry said dismissively. "For now, I would advise you to act less like a Slytherin and more like a Gryffindor."

"A Gryffindor?" Snape repeated with barely disguised disgust.

"A Gryffindor," Harry said confidently.

This got Snape pacing again as Harry leaned back into the cushions, regarding Snape with far too much amusement.

'_Gryffindor_,' Snape thought. '_Courage, bravery, nerve and chivalry'_. He repeated that line a couple of times in his head and added _impetuosity_ for good measure. Perhaps not an official house value but certainly one that was present among most Gryffindors. '_And when did that brat get another girlfriend? Focus, Severus_!'

"Gryffindor," Snape suddenly exclaimed aloud. "I understand." And before Harry could say another word, he threw open his door and stalked away in a hurried pace.

He was vaguely aware of Harry hurrying after him but ignored him. Right now, he was a man on a mission.

"Severus," Harry said as he jogged after Snape. "What are you doing?"

"I'm playing Quidditch," Snape replied sardonically. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I don't know," Harry said exasperatedly. "You look like someone who is hurrying into a precarious situation without a plan!"

Snape smirked. "Think like a Gryffindor, you said."

"That's not at all what I meant!" Harry called out. But Snape ignored him. The seed had been sown and now he would make sure to bloom his plan – for he did have one, however last-minute – into fruition.

If Snape had gotten the time right, dinner would be in session at the moment so he would no doubt find Maya sitting in the great hall. Harry seemed to understand the same thing and suddenly hurried off as if he were trying to get there ahead of Snape. What he thought _that_ might accomplish, Snape could only guess.

And then he was met with the doors of the great hall that were wide open to welcome any dinner guests. Without hesitation, he walked inside and saw that Harry had joined his friends at the Gryffindor table. As he stalked past, he heard his son mutter to his friends. " -Absolutely bonkers! I told him to act like a Gryffindor and he went all –"

Maya had not yet taken her seat at the high table. A Ravenclaw student was talking animatedly to her as she showed off a much too long essay. Snape schooled his expression into a neutral one but he had to admit that even he felt nervous in the face of what he was about to do.

Maya noticed him and straightened her back. She smiled warmly as Snape walked up to her, exuding confidence and determination.

"Severus, here you –" she began but she couldn't say any more for Snape gave her no such opportunity. In one smooth motion, he closed the distance between the two of them and pulled Maya into a tight embrace as his lips connected to hers. For a moment, she tensed but then she relaxed and leaned into him, her hands finding support on his back.

Snape became aware of the entire great hall falling silent but he didn't care. At that moment there was no time and there was no one else but him and Maya. They were nothing but two people finding solace in each other's presence and he knew that she – like him – did not want to let go.

After what seemed to be an inappropriate amount of time, Snape pulled back, a sly grin on his face as he looked at a severely flustered Maya.

"Severus," she breathed.

"I was a fool, Maya," Snape said. There was a kindness in his voice that very few people in this hall had ever heard from him. "I'm yours if you'll still have me."

Maya smiled broadly as she flung herself around his neck. "Of course I will!" she exclaimed.

Instantly, a few people from the Gryffindor table started clapping, much to Snape's annoyance. He glared at Harry who sat there looking decidedly smug. More and more students followed Harry's example until the entire student body had erupted into loud applause, most of them standing up.

Snape knew that he should feel mortification. But all he felt in that moment was an overwhelming happiness that he had not dared would ever be his again.

* * *

Oh my Goodness, this is the end of one of the archs. *Sniffle* It's a sad but happy occasion. This is the chapter I had in mind when I thought of TPM. This is what the most important part in my opinion because this is where Snape finally lets go of his anguish. But there's still so much more to come! Please do review and tell me what you thought!


	35. Chapter 35

_I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. I put a lot of effort and heart into the last chapter and was very happy to find it so well-received. I think you'll find this next chapter quite entertaining as well. Please enjoy it!_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

When Harry had completed the potion for himself it had turned into an emerald green, much like his and his mother's eyes. It had tasted sweet with a tangy hint to it and as Harry drank it, he felt warmed, as if he had just drunk a hot cup of tea.

The location his mind was sent to was not at all a familiar one and it looked rather plain. It was clearly a sitting room, decorated in the garish colours of Gryffindor. A fire was burning in the hearth, inviting him to sit.

"It's so good to see you again," a familiar voice said.

Harry snapped his attention away from the fire to look into the mischievous gaze of his godfather.

"Sirius!" he exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace the man. "I missed you so much."

"I know," Sirius told him soothingly. "And I'm so sorry that I put you through that. I was… rather impulsive."

"It was not _all_ your fault," Harry said bitterly.

"You're right," Sirius replied as he drew back and placed a hand on each of Harry's shoulders. "It was Bellatrix's fault. But you certainly avenged me, didn't you?"

"And nearly got himself killed in the process," came a disapproving voice. Harry smiled even brighter when he recognised his mother leaning against the doorpost.

"Mum," he said, standing frozen to the spot.

Lily huffed. "Oh sure, rush into the arms of your godfather but not in mine. What am I, chopped liver?"

Harry laughed as he shook himself from his stupor. Moving forward as Sirius pushed him a bit, he fell into his mother's arms as well.

"Hello, scamp," Lily greeted. "You did so well brewing that potion. I certainly know who you got your talents from."

"Please," scoffed a second male voice. "He may have _your_ potioneering skills but he has _my_ talent for Quidditch and mischief."

Harry was beside himself with joy as James appeared next to Lily, putting his arm around his wife and son both. "Good to see you, son," he said.

"Why don't we all sit down," Sirius suggested. "I'm feeling somewhat left out here."

Lily snorted. "You've had more time with him than we had," she chided. "You can be without his attention for five minutes." But she did let Harry go and guided him towards the chairs that waited in front of the fire.

"So," James said. "The youngest seeker of the century? By Merlin, you have no idea how proud I am of you."

Lily sighed. "He did also defeat Voldemort, you know," she pointed out.

"And that's a very close second," James told Harry with a wink.

"And this potion you created," Lily said. "I have to admit that I would have never been able to. Severus has certainly taught you well."

Sirius growled. "Speaking of that greasy git," he said, "what in the world happened there?"

Harry glared a bit at Sirius. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You even glare like him!" Sirius pointed out. "And you're calling him dad now?" He put a hand on James's shoulder and pointed at his friend's bespectacled face. "_This_ is your dad."

Harry felt a pang of guilt as he looked at James, but the man was glaring pointedly at Sirius.

"Padfoot," he growled. "We've been over this. Severus was there for Harry when no one else was. He adopted him so he could have a home. How can you be mad about that?"

"That's all well and good," Sirius said. "But I don't like that he's trying to take your place. It's like the ultimate payback!"

"Sirius Black!" Lily exclaimed as she hit him on the back of his head. "you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Look what you're doing to Harry!"

Harry was feeling less than happy about his godfather's disapproval but he was trying his best to hide it. Apparently, his best wasn't good enough, though.

"Oh Harry," Sirius said, properly mollified. "I'm so sorry. I know you didn't do anything wrong. It's just that when it comes to Snivellus –"

"Severus," Lily interrupted.

Sirius sighed dramatically. "Severus," he growled. "There is some bad blood there."

"And yet _he_ hasn't tried to disparage _you_," Harry pointed out. "Even though he's had all the time in the world to do so."

James laughed. "Looks like Severus is the more mature one, isn't he?" he said.

"Point taken," Sirius said but then his expression turned into a sadder one. "Harry, why haven't you ever told me about the abuse your relatives put you through?"

Harry managed not to flinch but averted his gaze anyway. "I was ashamed," he admitted.

"You've done nothing to be ashamed of," Sirius told him sternly. "I don't know why you would ever think that."

"I know that now," Harry said with a slight smile. "But I used to feel bad that I wasn't able to defend myself against a few muggles."

Lily kicked the existential table angrily. "When my sister dies, you can be damn sure that she's not going to have a peaceful afterlife."

"Her husband as well," James snarled. "I will make sure to make their afterlives hell. Dares to put his hands on _my_ son, does he?" He punched his fist into his flat hand and glared angrily into the fire.

"Yeah," Harry said awkwardly. "That would be great."

"Oh look at us," Lily sighed. "We're getting all worked up about the past again." She scooted closer to Harry and drew him into a brief hug. "I'm sorry my sister is such an awful person, Harry. For now, we'll have to take satisfaction in the punishment Severus has already dealt them."

Harry blinked. He had never known what exactly Snape had done to them but the reminder of that day warmed his heart.

"Now, speaking of Severus," Lily said, "How are things going with him and Maya?"

Harry groaned. "That was so awkward," he complained. "Some time ago – right after he spoke to you – he strutted into the great hall and snogged her right in front of everyone!"

James laughed loudly. "No way!" he exclaimed, "That doesn't sound like him at all! Did you confund him or something, Harry?"

"I told him to act like a Gryffindor," Harry explained.

"That goes to show what he thinks of Gryffindors," Sirius snorted. "I bet she slapped him right then and there, didn't she?"

Harry huffed. "No," he said, "She was all too happy to return the favour. It was horrible!"

"Don't act out," Lily chided. "I saw you initiating that round of applause."

"It was a spur of the moment thing, okay?" Harry defended himself. "But having to retell it just makes it so much more mortifying!"

"So, Sn – Severus has a girlfriend now?" Sirius asked incredulously. "About bloody time." James punched him on the shoulder. "Ow- what?!"

"I think he's trying to point out that you're a prat," Harry said. "Severus had a lot of things to work out."

"I'm just glad he finally did," James said honestly. Lily looked decidedly smug.

"It's a good thing you sleep in Gryffindor tower," Sirius pointed out. "Young love can be quite loud."

"Argh, Sirius!" Harry exclaimed as she scrunched up his nose. "Why are you doing this to me?!"

Sirius snorted. "don't tell me you've never considered it," he said. "How long has it been since they hooked up?"

"A little over a month," Harry begrudgingly admitted.

"Yeah," Sirius said smugly. "Even Severus will have gotten some action by now."

"It's more than you get nowadays," James laughed as he pushed against Sirius's shoulder playfully.

"Well, _I_ have a good excuse," Sirius said. "I'm dead. Severus only _looks_ dead."

"Please stop insulting him," Harry groaned. "I don't think you understand just how much he helped me. In fact, he's even saved my life many times way before he even started to like me."

James clapped Sirius roughly on the back of his head. "If you don't stop this foolery now, I'm kicking you out," he warned.

"Sorry," Sirius mumbled. "I'll be good."

"More importantly, Harry, you've got a girlfriend of your own," Lily pointed out.

"I do," Harry said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head in discomfort. "But I'd really rather not get into too much detail."

"Whatever the details, I like her," Lily said with a definite tone of voice.

"As long as you remember to treat her with respect," James told Harry importantly.

"Am I a Gryffindor or not?" Harry asked smugly.

"As long as a certain Slytherin isn't rubbing off on you," Sirius complained.

"Please, _I'm_ rubbing off on the _Slytherins_," Harry said easily. "Even Draco Malfoy has come around."

"See?" Lily said, "You're already doing better than your father and godfather were doing back in the day. They just couldn't get past their rivalry with Severus."

"And a good thing too, or Harry might have been a Snape," Sirius muttered. This earned him a cuff to the head from both Lily and James but Harry just laughed.

"I take it you'll be a Potions Master soon now?" Lily asked proudly.

Harry chuckled. "Not so fast," he said. "Severus is taking me to a guild-meeting first where the board will assess my skill and contributions. And then they'll vote."

"I doubt anyone could deny the hero that is Harry Potter," Sirius pointed out.

"I hope that's not the case," Harry objected. "I want to be recognised for my skill and not for my reputation. I worked hard on this, you know?"

"And we're all very proud of you, son," James said.

"Yeah, even if you're a potioneer now," Sirius sneered but in a teasing sort of manner.

Harry regarded the three parental figures in the room with a big smile on his face, enjoying the warmth that came from his mother and relishing in the proud gazes of the two marauders.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Harry said wistfully. The adults regarded him sadly.

"That's not possible, Harry, you know that," James said. "You get _this_ moment but after that, it's probably not a good idea to try and talk to us again."

A part of Harry wanted to protest and ask why that was but he already knew the reason. It was the same reason why he first had to master Occlumency before attempting to brew this potion. Too much of this and any person could become insane. Harry recognised the dangers of wanting to stay here and knew that his dad was right.

"I know," he said solemnly. "I'm just glad that I got this opportunity."

"And it's all because of your own genius," Lily said fondly. "My little boy is all grown up!" She embraced him in a crushing hug that left Harry gasping for breath until James loosened her grip with a chuckle.

"Don' smother him, love," he said. "We wouldn't want him to join us just yet."

"I mean, in a way we do," Sirius interjected, "But in another way, we don't."

Harry smirked. "I get it," he said. "I know exactly what you mean. But let's face it, Severus needs me!"

James ruffled his son's hair. "He really does," he said. "Oh, and do me a favour when you see him. Could you tell him that I really am sorry for the way I behaved back in school? I really was an arrogant prat."

Harry flushed a bit but nodded. "Of course," he said.

"Sirius," Lily said in a warning tone of voice.

Sirius rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay, so I suppose that trying to get him attacked by a werewolf went a bit too far."

James cuffed the back of his head again.

"Would you stop that?!" Sirius asked incredulously. "But seriously, kid, I am sorry. I crossed a line there."

"You were so far over the line that you couldn't even see the line anymore," Lily growled.

"I'll tell him," Harry said. "Just try to get along in my absence, okay?"

"We will do our very best," James promised solemnly.

Harry cast one last longing look at his family, then sighed in resignation. "I love you all," he said.

"We love you more," Lily said.

Harry chuckled softly and whispered, "I love you the most." He closed his eyes and felt the sensation of leaving the existential room and being warped back into his body. When he knew he was securely back, he refused to open his eyes just yet. He tried to soak up the entire experience before being forced to go on living again.

His nose wiggled slightly when he smelled herbs and spices. He sighed again and opened his eyes. Snape stood vigil nearby. A book lay opened in his hand but his gaze was affixed on Harry.

"You're crying," he noted.

Harry rubbed his eyes. "Your observation skills are keen as ever," he replied sardonically as he hoisted himself off the ground.

"I apologize," Snape said. "I simply didn't know that your physical body might experience the normal responses to what you're feeling when your mind is out of your body."

"Oh," Harry replied uneasily. "So it was an academic statement."

Snape placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. "How was it?"

"It was nice," Harry replied. "Scary; comfortable; confronting…" Harry sniffled and yet he smiled. "Wonderful."

"Was it enough?"

"No," Harry admitted. "How could it be?" He sighed and felt as if a burden fell off his shoulders. "Close enough, though."

"You did very well," Snape noted.

"Oh, and I have a message for you," Harry said seriously.

Snape quirked an eyebrow. "From whom?"

"Dad and Sirius," Harry admitted.

Snape growled. "Do I want to know?" he asked doubtfully.

"They are sorry for what they did," Harry said. "Though dad seemed more apologetic than Sirius."

Snape regarded Harry carefully for a moment and sighed. "It would not do to linger in the past." He said. "Your mother told me as much. Therefore, I forgive them."

He looked at a spot somewhere behind Harry and smirked. "Do you hear me, Potter? Black?" he asked loudly. "I forgive you. You can go frolic in the afterlife in peace."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "That was almost nice," he chuckled. "Thank you."

Snape huffed. "Come now," he said. "Maya is waiting for us."

* * *

It had been less of a hassle than Harry had thought to bring a muggle into the sanctity of Hogwarts. He knew that any muggle approaching the castle would normally see nothing but a ruin and be compelled to walk away, but when Alex approached the gates after Snape apparated him into Hogsmeade, nothing of the sort happened.

Harry was waiting for them and waved excitedly when he saw the man approach. "Alex!" he shouted. "Welcome to Hogwarts!"

Alex clearly had to hold himself back not to break into a sprint. When he reached Harry, he grabbed the boy's shoulders and gasped eagerly. "Harry," he said importantly. "You never told me your school was this epic!"

Harry chuckled but Snape appeared less than amused. "Come," he said before he began stalking towards Hogwarts.

Alex walked next to Harry as they followed the Potions Master inside. Snape didn't look back even once, confident that his order to follow was being obeyed.

"Look at his robes," Alex whispered in awe. "They are so… floaty!"

"I know," Harry whispered back. "I'm still not convinced that he doesn't use a spell to make them so."

As they walked towards Dumbledore's office, many students leapt aside as they saw Snape approach, many of them pressing themselves against the walls as if that would somehow protect them from Snape's wrath. But today, Snape ignored them all as he marched towards his goal.

"Geez," Alex muttered. "You guys weren't kidding, were you? Severus is not very popular here."

Harry shrugged. "The older the students become, the less afraid they are but he still manages to give most first – and second-years quite a freight."

"No kidding," Alex said. "Just look at those billowing robes, the twitch in his lips, that one raised eyebrow and those flaring nostrils! Who wouldn't fear such a –"

"Would you kindly shut your mouth?" Snape snarled as he whirled on Alex. Harry was biting his lip to keep himself from bursting into laughter and Snape's angry expression did not make that any easier.

"Yup," Alex said slyly. "Definitely flaring nostrils."

"Alexander, I'm warning you," Snape said. "You are a guest here but I assure you that I have the means and the patience to transform you into an obedient puppet without anyone ever suspecting I had anything to do with it. Alternatively, I could simply poison your food. Do. Not. Give. Me. A. Reason."

Alex didn't seem too impressed with Snape's tirade but he did keep his mouth shut for a while. Five minutes later he couldn't contain himself anymore, though. "Do you think you could show me this chamber of secrets, Harry?" he asked innocently.

"Lemon custard," Snape snapped at Archibald. The gargoyle leapt aside and Alex's mouth dropped open when he saw the winding staircase move all on its own.

"Wicked," he said in awe, then climbed on for good measure. "This is the best day of my life!"

Harry chuckled as he followed close behind while Snape waited until the staircase stopped moving to climb it himself rather than ride it like some overexcited toddler as he would say.

When all three had arrived upstairs, Snape knocked three times on the door. Harry thought his annoyance was clear by the way the sound reverberated of the walls. Alex didn't notice or didn't care. He was still taking in all the moving portraits and magical thingamabobs.

"Come in," came Dumbledore's friendly voice.

Snape opened the door and immediately walked to a corner where he leaned against the wall, leaving the two chairs for Harry and Alex.

"Albus!" Alex greeted amiably. "It's so good to see you. Love what you've done with the beard."

Dumbledore chuckled. "It's so very good of you to come here, Alex," he said kindly. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"You know me, Albus," Alex said cheekily as he grabbed a sweet out of the offered bowl. "I would never turn down free food."

Snape scoffed and Harry smiled.

Suddenly, Alex gasped when he spotted Fawkes. "What is that?" he asked in reverence. "That must be the most beautiful bird I've ever seen. Hello gorgeous, what's your name?"

Fawkes thrilled magnificently and gently nipped the fingers of Alex's outstretched hand.

"That's Fawkes," Harry supplied. "I think he likes you."

"Hello Fawkes," Alex said gently. "I'm Alex. It's very nice to meet you."

Fawkes spread his wings in a gentle fashion and stepped onto the hand Alex had still offered.

"Ooh, you're a tad heavy aren't you?" Alex chuckled. He carefully stroked Fawkes' feathers as if he were scared the phoenix might break. Fawkes clicked his beak contentedly.

"Stop playing with the bird, Alexander," Snape snarled out of the blue. "You're meeting with the most powerful wizard of our time. It would do you well to pay the proper respect."

"It's quite alright, Severus," Albus said calmly. "Fawkes is normally never that fond of newcomers. Especially not muggles. I think that young Alex here might have an exceptionally pure heart."

"Yup, that's me," Alex said proudly. "The heart of a hero."

When Snape glared at him again, he chuckled and allowed Fawkes back on his perch. "But Severus is right, Albus," he conceded. "I'm sorry. I forget myself."

"It's fully understandable for a muggle to get lost in our world," Albus said kindly. "But one that might appreciate its wonders will always find his way back. Please have a seat."

Alex sat down next to Harry, beaming from ear to ear.

"My dear Alex," Dumbledore said happily. "Welcome to Hogwarts. As I understand it, you're here primarily to spectate Harry's next quidditch match and perhaps even try and fly a broom yourself?"

"That was my understanding," Alex replied easily. "And anything else you would have me do here, really. I'm willing to try everything!"

"Truly?" Snape asked. "Care to sit into one of my first-year potions classes?"

"Severus," Dumbledore chided, but there was amusement in his voice. "Alex, you are welcome to our facilities but I must urge you to remain close to either Harry or Severus as you roam these halls. You never know what you might encounter after all." He winked mischievously at Harry who chuckled in response. Snape just growled.

"Severus, please lend Alex one of your robes so he might blend in more easily, would you? Oh, and no roaming the forbidden forest, if you will."

"Why would I go into a forest that is literally called '_the forbidden forest'_?" Alex asked incredulously.

"Excellent question," Snape replied. "Harry?"

"Why do teachers give first graders detention in the same forest?" Harry asked smartly, "That kind of gives the impression that it's not all that dangerous after all."

"Oh, so it's fine?" Alex asked.

"Er… no," Harry conceded. "It's very dangerous. Don't go there unless you want to be eaten."

"Indeed," Dumbledore added cheerfully. "Now Harry, shouldn't you be getting ready? I hear that Slytherin has quite a good team this year."

"We'll see about that," Harry chuckled. He got up from his seat and made to leave. "See you in the stands, Alex," he added, then left in a hurry.

"Ah youth," Dumbledore said happily as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth. Alex took another as well while Snape just shook his head in dismay.

* * *

"There are so many wonderful things happening today," came Luna's airy commentary. "Gryffindors are facing off against Slytherins, as you probably already know, and one of Professor Snape's best friends came here to watch. Isn't that nice of him?"

Harry chuckled when a large amount of the bystanders visibly looked over at Snape to get a look at the newcomer who was sitting next to him. Alex waved cheerily and even blew kisses at a few of the female parents that had also come to watch.

"He seems like a nice person, doesn't he?" Luna asked. "He does have that gentle aura about him. Where do you think he knows Professor Snape from? I heard –"

"For Merlin's sake, Ms Lovegood," McGonagall's voice suddenly shouted. "20-10 to Slytherin!"

"That's alright," Luna assured her. "The match has only just begun and I'm sure it can still go both ways. Harry knows what he's doing even when he doesn't. I think it has a lot to do with confidence, don't you? I really like that about him, among other things."

Harry chuckled and tried to tune out the wonderfully weird commentary that Luna provided. He needed to focus on the snitch.

"Is your girlfriend distracting you?" Draco taunted.

"Perhaps you're the one who is distracted," Harry pointed out. "Since you're here, talking to me instead of looking for the snitch."

"I'll find it," Draco said confidently.

"You will," Harry agreed. "In my closed fist!" He didn't wait for an answer but started flying circles while he occasionally glanced at the stands. Alex was clearly beside himself as he watched the players toss the quaffle and dodge bludgers.

Narrowly, Harry dodged one himself, only to have it redirect itself at an unfortunate Slytherin.

"Okay snitch," Harry said. "Where are you?"

"50 – 50," McGonagall shouted, interrupting Luna's monologue about thestrals and their mating habits.

And then he saw it. The snitch was flitting somewhere near the goalposts, seemingly undisturbed by Ron as he did his best to block the quaffle. He didn't know where Malfoy was but he didn't see him anywhere nearby so he sped off towards the tiny golden ball.

While it was always dangerous when the snitch was close to the ground or the bleachers, Harry found it easier to try and catch the snitch when none of the other players was nearby. Now, the snitch was relatively easy to reach but he would still need to bypass an obstacle course that consisted of players in both red and green.

A speeding stripe of green alerted Harry to the fact that Draco had now also seen the snitch and was going after it himself. It was on.

Harry zigged passed the players in his path and tried his best to avoid those who would purposefully collide with him. He managed to dodge a bludger as well as a bat that was aimed at his head rather than at a violent ball. He was getting close and knew that if he would just keep up this speed, he would get the ball before Malfoy did.

But naturally, he could not be so lucky as to have that come easily. Right ahead of him, a bludger came his way, Harry's head right in its collision course. None of the Gryffindor beaters was nearby and Harry knew that he should take a chance. He wanted to dodge by veering upward but noticed that he wouldn't be able to move fast enough to both dodge and catch the snitch, so instead, he positioned a foot on his broom and pushed himself off at the very last moment, effectively jumping over the bludger, Newton's first law keeping him headed in the snitches direction.

His fist closed around the snitch and for a very small moment, he felt absolute joy until he realized that he was now without a broom. But it was still very close by. He flailed helplessly as he grasped at the broomstick, only narrowly managing to grab it again. But now he was falling. Cursing himself in his head, Harry tried to get his broom to slow down his fall as he clumsily managed to hook one leg over the wood. He managed to do so, but only slightly. So when he finally connected to the ground, the crash still knocked the wind out of him and an all too familiar pain shot through his wrist.

Harry grinned. His wrist was probably broken but if that was the cost for winning this match, he would gladly pay it. Triumphantly, he raised the uninjured fist containing the snitch into the air and relished in the cheers of the crowd, congratulating him on his victory. The jeering of the Slytherins only made his triumph that much more glorious.

Harry chuckled as he sat upright. Alex must be freaking out right now.

* * *

_Finally Alex has come to view a quidditch match! I hope you like it. Don't forget to review!_

_On another note, I'm not sure how much I'll be updating this week. I've got the necessary chapters written but with the holidays, I don't know how many people will actually be reading so I suppose it will depend on the traffic I get. I think I'll definitely update again tomorrow and see from there._


	36. Chapter 36

_I must say that I was amazed by your responses! There were so many, I just had to update. It's a good thing that the chapter was all ready to go. Please enjoy this distraction from the holiday rush!_

* * *

**Chapter 36.**

Harry sat on the hospital bed with a satisfied smirk, watching the hustle and bustle going on around him. Several Gryffindors were sitting on various contraptions in his direct vicinity, talking excitedly about the amazing catch Harry had pulled off. Madame Pomfrey hadn't asked them to leave yet because, for once, Harry's injuries were surprisingly minor, but if they kept being so loud, Harry knew it was only a matter of time.

"I still think that constitutes as cheating," Draco complained. Some of the Gryffindors jeered at him but Draco ignored them. "You weren't even touching your broom when you caught the snitch!"

"There is no rule that states that you have to," Hermione pointed out cleverly.

"Besides, Malfoy," Ron said with his mouth full of celebratory chocolate frog. "It's not as if Slytherins play fair and square. Or did you not notice when your beater tried to hit Harry with his bat?"

Draco smirked. "_That_ was an accident," he said slyly.

"I think you should just accept my superiority," Harry said smugly. "I'm better than you and you know it."

"I'm just not as desperate as you are," Draco said smugly. "I don't see the use of getting myself killed just to win a Quidditch match."

"A point of view I wish Mr Potter shared," drawled a deep voice. The Gryffindors all quieted down as they laid eyes on Snape.

"Hi, Professor," Harry said cheekily. "Did you see my amazing catch?"

Snape opened his mouth to say something scathing when Alex pushed past him and sat on the edge of Harry's cot.

"Harry!" he exclaimed. "That was brilliant! Even after reading all about it, I could never guess just how exciting this sport is! And you! You were so good!" Alex had to catch his breath with all the excitement going on.

"Don't encourage him, Alexander," Snape admonished. "He's not supposed to get himself injured while he plays."

"Come on, Severus," Alex said gently. "The best sports carry with them a risk of injury. Think of rugby; baseball; football…"

"There are different kinds of risks," Snape growled. "And the risk of nearly getting yourself killed is not one I want Harry to take."

"I only broke my wrist," Harry pointed out.

"A broken wrist," Alex whistled. "Such a spectacular stunt and the only injury you sustained was a broken wrist. Well done!"

"Alexander!" Snape snarled. "Don't encourage him."

Harry groaned. It was bad enough to have Alex and Snape squabble about him but to have nearly the entire Gryffindor team bear witness was straight up mortifying.

"Could you have this discussion elsewhere?" Harry asked.

"But you were going to fly with me," Alex pointed out. "When do you think your wrist will be healed?"

"I don't know if I want Harry flying in a while," Snape said coldly.

"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "But I have to test the potion!"

"There's no need for you to fly alongside Alex to see if your potion works," Snape pointed out smoothly. "You will administer it and then watch from the side-lines. I'm sure that either Mr Malfoy or Mr Weasley will be happy to teach him."

Harry glanced around to see that his teammates were sufficiently confused about what was going on and decided not to fight Snape on this. He probably wasn't really going to be able to fly today anyway.

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Drink this, Mr Potter," Pomfrey said as she suddenly pressed a potion in Harry's hand. Harry recognised it as a small dose of skele-gro. "There's no need for you to stay here waiting for that wrist to heal. I would also rather not have your Fanclub littering my medical wing so you'd best be off."

"I don't have a Fanclub," Harry grumbled but Pomfrey raised an eyebrow as she allowed her gaze to roam the multitude of people currently present.

"Oh really?" she asked. "You could have fooled me."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Harry," Alex said. "Come on, let's go."

"Why would you look a horse in the mouth?" Ron asked. "Is it to make sure that it's a regular muggle horse or something?"

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "I'll explain later, Ron," she said.

"Let's go," Harry said as he grabbed his quidditch cloak that was draped across one of the chairs. With a sideways glance at Snape, he crept past the dour man, ignoring the sardonic eyebrow he raised and fled.

"You're too hard on him, Severus," he heard Alex say as he left.

"I'm not nearly strict enough," Snape huffed. "He still gives me cheek."

Harry chuckled and hurried off.

* * *

Harry found Alex and Snape again on the Quidditch pitch. He was carrying his Firebolt in his good hand and had the Magic Muggle potion tucked into his pocket. Draco, Ron and Hermione were also waiting but the rest of the Quidditch team was thankfully no longer present.

"Thanks for waiting," Harry said.

"We couldn't very well get started without the potion," Snape drawled. "Otherwise you can be assured that you would not be present."

"Are you really still upset?" Harry asked incredulously. "Worse things have happened."

"Just get on with it," Snape growled with an irritated hand movement.

"You take my Firebolt, Ron," Harry said as he handed the redhead his broom. "It would be safer if Alex uses a school broom for now."

Ron accepted with a big grin. "As you say, mate," he said. He handed Alex the school broom and accepted the Firebolt happily.

Alex mounted the broom with excited haste and Harry chuckled. "You need the potion first, you know." He pointed out.

"I know," Alex said. "Hand it over already."

"You might at least pretend to have some manners," Snape said coldly.

Harry fished the potion out of his pocket and was about to hand it to Alex but stopped his hand midway.

"What in the –"

"What's wrong?" Draco asked. "If you suddenly realised that there's a muggle present in Hogwarts then yes, that is decidedly weird."

Hermione cuffed him to the back of the head. "Stop being such a prat," she hissed.

"Guys!" Harry interrupted. "Are you really not seeing this?"

"I see it," Snape said calmly. "Alexander. Do you realize you're floating?"

Alex blinked a couple of times and looked down at his own feet when he realized that they weren't touching the ground anymore. "Wow," he said. "Does this mean I'm a wizard now?"

Snape scoffed. "Hardly," he replied. "But it would appear that you no longer need the potion to fly a broom."

"Fascinating," Harry said. "Draco, Ron, could you teach him the ropes while I make some observations?"

"Sure thing!" Ron called out. He already took to the sky and started flying circles around Alex while Draco seemed to take the time to patiently explain some things to the man, even if he was a muggle. Harry followed Snape to a bench and sat down with him.

"What do you think is going on?" Harry asked curiously.

Snape regarded Harry. "It's _your_ potion," he pointed out. "What is _your_ observation?"

"It's odd," Harry replied without taking his eyes off of Alex. "I think that the potion awoke his innate magic. That much is clear. And it did wear off back then, did it not?"

"It did," Snape confirmed. "So why is he able to fly a broom now?" He asked the question as if he was asking it in his potions class. Harry had the distinct feeling that the man already knew the answer but would rather that Harry found out on his own.

"Er…" Harry doubted.

"When we went inside your mind and unearthed your innate magic, did it revert to slumbering once you were done?"

"No," Harry admitted. "It was far easier to use it from then on. It almost became second nature."

Snape said nothing. He just crossed his arms and watched as Alex actually started flying in slow circles while both Draco and Ron flew protectively close to him.

"So perhaps innate magic – once awakened – does not collapse back onto itself," Harry said smartly.

"I suspect as much," Snape replied. "It probably took a while to manifest itself properly once the potion wore off because Alex is a muggle, which is why it didn't appear to be permanent at first."

"Hold on," Harry said importantly. "You don't think he can do magic now, do you?"

Snape chuckled. "No, Harry," he said. "I'm certain that you did not invent a potion to turn muggles into wizards and witches. You simply awoke his innate magic to form the most basic of bridges. He will be able to fly brooms now; be somewhat more resistant to illnesses and perhaps even heal slightly faster but he will never be able to actually perform magic."

"That would be a bit much, I suppose," Harry said. Alex had just performed a loop and nearly fell off his broom had Ron not been there to shove him upright again. "He'll never be a Quidditch prodigy, will he?"

"Unlikely," Snape snorted.

"You're going to write to '_The Practical Potioneer'_ about this, aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Naturally," Snape replied easily. "I believe this is one of your most useful potions yet."

Harry laughed. "Well, this one didn't stem from the failure of another potion, I suppose."

"Speaking of the Umbral Locum, did you finish your paper to accompany it when we visit the guild?" Snape asked.

Harry sighed. "Almost," he admitted. "I just need to go over everything one last time to make sure there are no more mistakes."

"I can look it over for you as well, should you so desire," Snape proposed.

"You don't consider that cheating?" Harry asked.

"I'm still your Master," Snape pointed out. "It is only logical that I would inspect your work. Especially before I need to introduce you to my colleagues. I won't have you dishonour me."

Harry paled considerably. "Dishonour you?" he asked.

Snape sighed. "It will be fine," he said in a smoother voice. "I have every confidence that you will do spectacularly. I have seen what you can do first hand and I am already proud of you."

Harry smiled and watched as Alex was now smoothly sailing through the skies, whooping as he did. He shivered slightly when a cold wind rustled his hair. Snape drew an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer to him.

"You're almost there, Harry," Snape said. "If you can manage not to get yourself killed while playing Quidditch, you will become a Master yet."

Harry chuckled. "I'll try to never land on my head."

Snape sighed in exasperation and ruffled Harry's hair.

"Brat."

* * *

Dinner that evening was rather amusing. Snape had proposed that they eat in his private quarters but Alex had insisted on eating in the great hall. He was completely enamoured by the enchanted ceiling and floating candles and simply loved swapping stories with Dumbledore. So rather than eating privately in the dour Potions Master's rooms, he chose the much more exciting option.

He was seated between Snape and Dumbledore with Maya sitting on Snape's other side. Every now and then, Maya and Alex would talk to each other, both leaning in much too closely for Snape's comfort as was obvious to all who were watching.

And many were.

The fact that Alex was a muggle had not been shared with the general student body so naturally, everyone assumed that the strange man was a wizard. Not only that, but since he took Snape's scowls and glare without so much as a flinch or any other sign of discomfort, people were starting to think that he was a very powerful one.

"I bet that Snape keeps glaring at him because he's here for the defence position," Harry heard some Hufflepuff say.

"Yeah," his friend agreed. "And look. He clearly doesn't even care. He's not afraid of Snape in the least! The only other wizard that doesn't seem to mind him is Dumbledore."

"That's what I was thinking. He must be very powerful."

"Not to mention dreamy," Another girl mentioned. "Do you think he's married?"

Harry snorted in his glass of pumpkin juice and glanced over at the high table again, right at the moment that Maya planted a chaste kiss on Snape's cheek as she stole one of the potatoes from his plate. Alex watched the scene with his mouth agape and seemed to be stuttering some words. Maya laughed, the sound reaching Harry easily and Snape just rolled his eyes and stole his missing potato back.

"Looks like Alex found out," Harry told his friends, inclining his head towards the adults.

Ron snickered when he saw Alex shake Snape's hand excitedly before the Potions Master roughly snatched his hand back. Maya threw a Brussels sprout at Alex's head which caused him to sit back down. Dumbledore seemed very amused by all of this and was eating as he watched the scene unfold as if he were at some dinner with a show.

"What do you reckon that's all about?" A third-year Gryffindor asked. "They look like they're best friends or something."

"Oh my," A girl next to him said excitedly. "Do you suppose their relationship just stops at friends?"

Another girl sighed. "It would fit beautifully, wouldn't It?" she whispered. "The cold and collected professor with a man as vibrant and happy as Alex is. He could probably change Snape for the better."

Harry seriously had to do his best not to spit out his juice in laughter as he listened to the girls. He covered his mouth with his hand to aid him.

"You two are forgetting about Bell," another Gryffindor pointed out.

"She can't get in the way of true love," the first girl said haughtily.

That was too much. Harry sprayed his juice all over his plate and started laughing uncontrollably. Hermione hid her face in her hands in mortification while Ron just seemed flabbergasted having been too occupied with eating to notice anything going on around him.

Harry glanced over at Snape to see the man look at him in disgust as Harry wiped the juice from his chin. Alex casually refilled his glass for him as the man glowered and Harry laughed again.

The girls were now squealing excitedly among themselves and Harry vaguely wondered if they would form a Fanclub of sorts.

* * *

Harry found himself on the edge of the forbidden forest once more, strolling alongside its rim with Luna at his side. The forest might harbour some scary creatures and sound foreboding but if Harry was honest, it wasn't all that terrifying after all. Especially if you chose to walk there at the start of spring when the sun was high in the sky, with a pretty girl skipping next to you.

"When will you be visiting the guild?" Luna asked as she slid her hand across a tree they passed.

"Next weekend," Harry replied. "I just hope I'm ready."

"You seem nervous," Luna noted. "Why is that?"

Harry chuckled. "Because I have to show a bunch of Masters my work and hope that they deem it good enough.

"Good enough for what?" Luna asked.

"To become a Master," Harry said.

Luna chuckled. She stopped for a moment and looked at Harry with a happy twinkle in her eyes. "What you become does not depend on others, I think," she said.

"But it does," Harry replied uneasily, running a hand through his hair. "They can make or break me."

Luna gazed at the sky for a while and smiled when she saw some birds fly by. "If you told a bird that it can't fly anymore, would it stop?" she asked.

"No," Harry chuckled. "Of course not."

"Nor can you tell a fish to stop swimming," Luna added giddily.

Harry smiled and grabbed Luna's hand. "I wouldn't dare," he said indulgently.

Luna put her free hand on Harry's shoulder as she faced him, smiling pleasantly. "No one can make you step brewing, Harry," she said easily. "The only person you are destined to be is the one you decide to become."

Harry put his arm on the small of Luna's back as he started swaying lightly. Luna giggled and followed his lead.

"How did you become so wise?" Harry asked her. In a slow movement, he lifted the hand that held hers, having her spin in a slow circle before she giggled and clasped his shoulder again.

"I listen a lot," she explained.

"And what do you hear now?" Harry asked as they danced in a slow circle. Luna put her head on Harry's shoulder as he pulled her closer. Her hair smelled like plums and strawberries.

"I hear music," she whispered.

The couple started dancing a bit faster to a melody that Harry did not perceive. His rhythm was powered by the giggles that escaped Luna's lips.

"And what does it tell you?" Harry asked as he gazed at his partner while the world swirled all around them.

"It's hard to say," Luna said. "Life is a beautiful melody but the lyrics are all messed up."

Harry chuckled as he lifted Luna into the air and gazed at her wonderfully serene expression. He then let her fall gently into his embrace and hugged her close.

"You're still nervous," Luna said as he stroked her hair.

"A little bit," Harry admitted.

"Don't be," Luna told him. "Some things are meant to be. Even if they take a couple of tries to get there."

* * *

A few days later, Harry found himself in the library studying with Ron, Hermione and Draco. Well, Ron was doodling something in his notebook rather than writing his essay on the merits of elemental shields but the other three were working hard.

Harry had just finished adding another paragraph to his essay on the Umbral Locum when Hermione disrupted his thoughts.

"So, what do you make of this career day that's coming up?" she asked.

"Hm?" Harry asked absentmindedly.

"The career day, Harry," Hermione snapped. She bumped into his elbow, causing his face to almost collide with the table they were sitting at.

"Hey!" Harry said in indignation. A vicious hush from Madame Pince made him drop his voice to a whisper. "I was focusing."

"What are you concerned about?" Draco asked her. "I'm sure you can do whatever you want."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "And I'm already quite clear on what I want so I don't see the point, really."

"I could use some advice," Ron sighed, his doodle now finished.

Draco looked at his notebook and frowned. "I advise against becoming an artist, then," he said.

"What?" Ron hissed, "And I suppose you've got it all worked out then, have you?"

"Of course," Draco said haughtily. "I want to create artefacts."

"Sure," Ron said. "But what kind of magic will you focus on? What objects? Will you create the objects yourself or buy them off of someone else? If you create them yourself they're that much more powerful but you would need to learn an additional craft. How are your smithing skills, anyway?"

Draco stared at Ron with a rather dumb look on his face before replying. "You know an awful lot about artefacts," he said.

"Sure," Ron shrugged. "Between having Charley and the twins as brothers, I pick up on a lot of stuff like that."

"Guys," Hermione whispered. "Could you discuss this later? What am I going to do about this career day?"

"You're going to be handed a bunch of pamphlets, answer a bunch of questions and get some advice from McGonagall," Harry droned. "It's not like you have to make a decision then and there."

"But I feel like I should come prepared," Hermione whined. "Most of you already know what you want to do but I'm just lost."

Ron snorted. "You're lost because you can do everything. Your options are so vast, it's ridiculous, really."

"You might end up being a stay-at-home-dad, Ron," Draco said, grinning broadly. "With a wife as ambitious as this one."

Ron broke into a coughing fit immediately and hurried out of the library as to not disturb anyone. Well, that or to avoid any further mortification.

Draco shrugged. "Just become the minister of magic or something," he told Hermione. "That should keep you plenty busy."

Harry knew that Draco had meant it as a joke but caught Hermione thinking that over with a contemplative smile on her face. He shook his head in mild amusement and went back to his essay, describing how substituting thestral hooves for thestral hair had caused the spirit's touch to no longer be cold.

Just a few more days and they would visit the guild. He hoped that he had earned the necessary votes. If not, he wouldn't know what would be expected of him next.

* * *

_Many things happening. Many things done. I wonder what you feel about all of this? Starting next chapter, things will pick up speed again. As I will be doing for the remainder of the week, I'll have to check whether or not to update depending on the traffic. Don't hate me for this! I just don't want to update when nobody reads. So please do review!_


	37. Chapter 37

_Christmas eve and yet so many of you read and reviewed. I could hardly believe it! But I couldn't very well keep from updating when so many of you are still on top of things. So here you all are! Another chapter for your amusement. Thanks for all your support._

* * *

**Chapter 37**

With a loud bang that sounded like a car backfiring, Harry found himself standing in front of what appeared to be a small Aztec pyramid. Only in appearance though for the weather was clearly still very much British and Harry was pretty sure that apparating only got someone so far. Snape removed his hand from Harry's shoulder and gestured towards the pyramid.

"Shall we proceed?" he asked.

Harry – who was too nervous to voice his agreement – nodded, clutching his bag with his research and his potion close to his chest.

"And stop worrying, for crying out loud," Snape told him. "You've faced basilisks, the Dark Lord and several Death Eaters in battle. Surely you can face some decrepit old men."

Harry snorted. "Dumbledore is old," he pointed out. "But I would rather not face _him_ in a battle."

"You're not battling these men either," Snape said. He began walking and pushed Harry along with a firm hand between his shoulder blades. "You're simply presenting your Magnum Opus."

"Simply," Harry scoffed. "You're kidding, right?"

"Just keep walking," Snape urged. "We've been over this. Your paper is sound. Your theorem is well worked-out and we both know that your potion works."

"I know," Harry said. "And yet, I'm still nervous."

"I'm right here," Snape told him. "Now stop fidgeting like that or I'll have you writing lines when we get back."

"What for?" Harry asked in dismay, his nervousness somewhat forgotten.

"For not believing your Master when he tells you that you have done well," Snape supplied.

"Well, that's just –"

"Hush," Snape said. "I'd rather not have my esteemed colleagues listen to our bickering."

Together, they walked up the steps in silence until they reached the entrance at the very top. By the end of it, Harry felt rather winded while Snape appeared as if he had taken a leisurely stroll. Grumpily, Harry suspected that Snape had taken a potion for that.

Harry was wearing the dress robes that Snape had given him for his previous Christmas – the ones in crimson and silver - and felt rather dashing. Especially after Luna had given him her seal of approval. Snape didn't look half bad himself. Maya had taken him shopping for new dress robes for this occasion. It had taken a lot of convincing and - as Harry understood it - bribing, but Snape wore dress robes that were a combination of emerald and black with silver accentuations on the cuffs of his sleeves. Naturally, the robes still billowed.

"Deep breaths," Snape said quietly as he held his hand on the doorknob. "And relax."

Harry complied and smiled at Snape to signify that he was ready. He didn't know why but he held his breath as Snape opened the door.

Instantly, the sound of murmured voices coming to a halt reached Harry's ears. Snape stepped through the door and Harry followed closely. They stepped into a large chamber that was well-lit with torches. The walls were made up of large brick stones and knew very little decorative elements save for a few items that looked like weapons, one of which a winged staff with two snakes winding around it. Harry thought it would be wildly impractical to carry that thing into battle. There was also a sword with a silver blade and a shield shaped like a Gryphon tucking in its wings. Harry suspected that it was made out of solid gold.

At the centre of the room stood a large round table with fourteen chairs, thirteen of which were currently occupied by – as Snape had said before – old men. Harry only recognised one and wondered when exactly Professor Slughorn had arrived here.

"Gentlemen," Snape greeted evenly, standing tall. Harry felt sort of in awe when he saw just how confident Snape was, glancing at each and every face in the room with a positively bored expression on his face, his hands clasped behind his back.

"We do appreciate you being so very prompt, Severus," a short man said. His hair was long and silvery and tied into a thick ponytail and he wore a short beard. Something about his features seemed familiar to Harry but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He noticed that he was fidgeting and willed himself to stop.

"Of course, Caratacus," Snape replied politely. "I understand that you are a very busy man. Especially these days. We will take no more of your time than absolutely necessary."

The other men all eyed Harry and Snape curiously but none of them spoke. Harry got the distinct impression that this Caratacus character was the boss of sorts. Even Slughorn didn't do anything but smile and nod at Harry. Though the small acknowledgement put Harry a bit more at ease, even if only slightly.

"Kindly present us with your Magnum Opus, Mr Potter," Caratacus said urgently. Harry hastily started walking over to the table when Snape stopped him with his outstretched hand and motioned for the boy to give him his research. Harry obliged willingly and watched how Snape duplicated the papers fourteen times, passing along a copy to each of the Masters present. He presented the bottled potion in the middle of the table and spoke.

"Harry James Potter who is apprenticed to myself, Severus Snape, is presenting his potion named Umbral Locum. I have supervised the creation of this potion as well as most of its test runs. You will find a detailed description of both the theorem and the practical findings in the papers in your hands. I kindly ask you to read through them and hold all questions until after you're finished."

Snape took a seat in the last empty chair and started reading his own copy. Harry suppressed a frown. Snape had read through all his paperwork several times over. No doubt he knew several of the pages by heart by now. The man didn't even glance at Harry as he stood waiting as rigidly as he could. Harry suspected that this had everything to do with decorum and tried not to mind as much as he once would have. Instead, he occluded his mind and allowed himself to become at ease.

When he visibly relaxed, Harry could've sworn that he saw a smile on Snape's face but didn't know if that was because of the notes he was currently reading or because he knew that Harry had occluded.

It seemed to take forever for the men to read everything they had been given. Harry tried to read the facial expressions of the Masters present but they weren't exactly open books. Every now and then, one would glance at the potion in the middle of the table. Other times, one's eyebrows would go up so far that they almost disappeared into their hair. Harry saw some shake their heads where others smiled very lightly. When Caratacus started rapping his fingers on the table, Harry looked at the man only to find him staring right at him.

Harry immediately righted himself, neatly clasped his hands behind his back and tried to look worthy of the man's attention. He seemed to be waiting for something. Eventually, the other Masters closed their bundle of paperwork and folded their hands, waiting until everyone else was finished. When they were, Caratacus spoke first.

"This potion of yours needs to be personalized during its creation", he said.

"Yes sir," Harry replied, pleased that his voice sounded loud and clear.

"Then tell me, Mr Potter," the man continued, "just for whom was this particular potion brewed? The one now sitting in front of is."

"For me, sir," Harry answered again.

"Surely you understand that we can't test a potion that won't work on us. Has anyone but you ever tested this potion?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied eagerly. He felt a slight tremor in his hands behinds his back and squeezed his fingers. "My Master – Severus Snape – has drunk the potion before."

This elicited a few quiet murmurs as the attention shifted to Snape who sat straight in his chair.

"Severus," Caratacus prompted. "Is this true?"

"It is," Snape replied honestly. "And I can testify that it does indeed work as promised."

"As long as you are able to Occlude," Caratacus pointed out. "What would happen to those who could?"

"We haven't tested that," Harry replied again. "And I would advise against it. I suspect the test subject might lose memories of the person they are meeting with. I would suggest anyone willing to try it who is not able to occlude to have an Occlumens join them for their protection."

"There aren't that many around, I daresay," Caratacus said again.

"No sir," Harry admitted.

"Very well," Caratacus coughed and flipped a few pages. "I must admit that it is rather disconcerting that this potion requires the use of blood." He gazed at Harry from across his spectacles, regarding him for a moment. "Surely, you understand that this is highly unorthodox and will likely be allowed only under various restrictions."

"I would hope so, sir," Harry replied. "While I created this potion to help people, I also understand that it wouldn't be to everyone's benefit to meet with the dead. If a mind healer would deem it helpful, I would hope that the patient would be allowed its use."

Harry was starting to feel rather proud of himself. He had prepared this meeting through and through. And while before, he had been worried that he might not be able to answer all questions, he found that so far he had no problems in doing so. He could feel Snape's gaze resting on him but didn't dare look away from Caratacus in fear that he would be deemed impolite for doing so.

"I suppose that would be agreeable," Caratacus said before flipping through more pages. After a while, he sighed deeply. "Mr Potter," he said. "The brewing of this potion requires the use of Occlumency, innate magic and an alchemical circle. These are all very rare skills and I must say that most of the brewers in our guild do not possess these skills. One perhaps but not two and only very rarely all three."

"I admit that the difficulty level of this potion is high," Harry said. "But the skills required to brew it – while rare – can certainly be learned. I assure you that anyone who is willing enough to brew the Umbral Locum will succeed in learning these skills. They might even benefit them in their own creations."

A new round of murmurs swept across the table and Harry wondered if he had said too much. This time he did glance at Snape and saw that the man was smirking, an amused glint in his eyes.

"As you say," Caratacus said when his colleagues quieted down. "I suppose the test is not to create a potion that is easy to replicate but rather to create something beneficial to our magical kind. Thank you for your presentation, Mr Potter. We shall take this into account as well as your other creations of late and put the question of your Mastery to a vote. We shall send you an owl with our decision."

"Of course, sir," Harry said respectfully.

"Gentlemen," Snape greeted again as he rose from his seat and joined Harry on his way out. He was – after all – not allowed to vote for his own apprentice.

"How did I do?" Harry asked. He had begun fidgeting again.

"You've done admirably," Snape said gruffly, an angry scowl in place.

"And yet, you don't seem happy," Harry pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"You heard them," Snape sighed as he sat down on the very last step. "They're not going to allow you a Mastery this time."

Harry frowned. "Why not?"

"Saying that they'll review your other creations first," Snape huffed. "Honestly, this potion should have been more than enough to convince all of them on the spot. Also, they know very well what you've been brewing so far. I've kept them updated to the best of my abilities. Honestly, Lovegood just can't stand young talent and would rather convince his colleagues that you're too young rather than accept your talent."

"Lovegood?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Yes," Snape said. "Caratacus Lovegood. He's the head of St Mungo's."

Harry found himself gaping at his father. "What?" he asked. "And you didn't think that important enough to tell me?"

"Which part?" Snape asked cleverly. "That he's the head of St Mungo's or that he's your girlfriend's uncle?"

"Oh, I don't know," Harry replied sardonically. "Perhaps both?"

Snape chuckled softly. "Neither of these facts would have done you any good in your quest today. Your head was swimming with information already and I did not feel the need to add to your inner turmoil."

"Does he dislike me?" Harry asked.

"Hm," Snape replied. "Dislike is a strong word. But he believes that at least part of your success of late has much to do with your status and your defeat of the Dark Lord. He would probably need some more convincing before he sees that your skills are your own."

"As if you would ever allow me to cheat," Harry snorted. "You'd sooner become the next Dark Lord."

Snape laughed loudly at that. "As you say," he replied with another chuckle. "Now, I suggest we leave this wretched place behind. Worry not. There will be more chances."

"Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get there," Harry said as he smiled at his shoes. He didn't see Snape's befuddled expression but just smiled feeling better with the consoling words Luna had given him before he even really needed them.

* * *

When Harry joined his friends in the great hall for dinner, it became clear that they had been waiting for him expectantly. Even Draco had joined the Gryffindor table again and Luna had taken a seat next to him. Harry swallowed a groan and took a seat next to Ron.

"So," Draco said. "Are you a Master yet?"

"Unfortunately not," Harry sighed. "Well, officially they will let me know their vote via owl post but Snape thinks they're just stalling."

Ron frowned. "Why would they do that?"

Harry shrugged. "Snape thinks said that they are very archaic in their way of thinking and difficult to convince. He also said that Mr Lovegood probably thinks I only got as far as I did because of my reputation." He glanced at Luna who was listening with a serene smile on her face.

"Hold on," Hermione interjected. "Lovegood, you said?" She then turned to face Luna. "I didn't know there was a Potions Master in your family."

"Oh yes," Luna said airily. "My uncle is quite an amazing potioneer. He really seems to listen to the elements, as I gather. Father is quite jealous of him actually. He doesn't do a lot of brewing anymore though. He doesn't have the time since he's running St Mungo's and everything."

Hermione nearly choked on her food. "Hang on!" she gasped. "He's the head of St Mungo's as well? That's amazing!"

Luna smiled. "Yes, he has always been quite ambitious," she admitted. "But it makes me feel sad for him. I don't think he ever finds the time to think about himself anymore. It made him somewhat difficult to approach."

"Hm," Harry responded. "He seemed stern but not unfair."

"That's right," Luna said. "You'll just need to convince him somehow. I am absolutely sure that you will get his vote once he sees what you can do."

This cheered Harry up somewhat. "Thanks, Luna," he said, putting his hand on hers. He glanced over at the high table where Snape was talking with Maya. She shook her head slightly and said something in a rather fierce manner that made Snape laugh. She glanced at Harry and when she noticed him looking at her, she looked at him sadly. Harry just shrugged and smiled at her.

"It's nice to see everyone so happy," Luna said. "I think Professor Snape might finally have rediscovered himself."

"Whatever _that_ means," Ron snorted before helping himself to a roll.

"Good to see that you're all turning into a big, happy family," Draco said far to sarcastically. He skewered a piece of meat and inelegantly shoved it in his mouth.

Harry regarded the Slytherin carefully, remembering that things weren't well with his mother. "Draco," he said. "Is everything alright?"

Harry did his best not to say too much in front of his friends. He didn't think Draco would want the news about his ill mother to spread.

"As much as it was before," Draco sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry. That was uncalled for. You deserve to be happy and Snape does too. It won't do to be envious."

Harry bumped into Draco's shoulder with his own ever so slightly and grinned at the boy when he glared at him.

"Everything will be okay," he told the blonde. "Just you wait."

"How much longer?" Draco sighed.

"One day at a time," Harry told his friend. He ignored the odd glances their friends were giving them, as did Draco. He didn't seem too convinced but offered Harry a small smile nonetheless.

* * *

"Those old goats need to be replaced anyway," Maya said as she passionately pointed her fork at Snape. "Any person with half a brain could see that Harry knew what he was talking about." She huffed as she cut her pasta into very small pieces. "I have half a mind to go over there myself and tell them what's what."

Snape chuckled. "You will do no such thing," he told her. "In fact, you wouldn't even know where to go."

"So tell me," Maya urged.

"Eat your food," Snape told her as he cut into his own vegetables.

"I am," Maya protested. She ate a forkful of pasta and glanced at Gryffindor table. "Harry seems to be taking it well."

"He has good friends," Snape told her. "And he knows that he can always try again later. In any case, it would have been rather early for him to become a Master, wouldn't you say?"

Maya shrugged. "What does age matter if your talent speaks for you?"

"He could probably do with some more life experience first," Snape said plainly. "Perhaps then those old coots would take him more seriously."

"And where would he be getting that experience?" Maya asked incredulously. "He needs to finish his education first."

"I'm thinking about it," Snape replied with a sideways glance at McGonagall. "Don't worry so much. You're supposed to be impartial about your students."

Maya snorted indignantly. "Since he's your son, I can't do that," she pointed out. "As if _you_ are impartial."

Snape chuckled. "Much more so now than I was a few years ago," he admitted. "I don't let my personal relationship with Harry get in the way of my classes, in any case, nor of his apprenticeship."

"Neither do I," Maya said. She dumped another handful of cheese on her plate and meshed it in the dish. "But I can feel sorry for him while I sit here where no other student can hear me."

"I suppose," Snape agreed. "Just don't grade his essays unfairly simply because he's a bit down about his result."

Maya chuckled. "You and your essays," she said, swatting his shoulder playfully.

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Surely, you would not have them submit _drawings_ about their favourite historic event?"

Maya just winked at him and took another bite of her food, not acknowledging Snape's question with an answer. Dumbledore seemed to be humming pleasantly in the background.

"I am working with lunatics," Snape mumbled amusedly and somewhere to his left, McGonagall snorted.

* * *

It was only the next morning when Slughorn had returned to Hogwarts and had taken his seat at the high table. Harry looked at him anxiously – a part of him still hoping that Snape had read too much into Lovegood's response – but was met with a neutral mask of indifference. Snape was talking to him in what appeared to be a hushed whisper but he too showed no emotions.

Harry was drawn out of his thoughts when a soft, fleeting kiss was pressed against his cheek. He looked up just in time to see Luna sitting down next to him.

"Good morning, Luna," Hermione greeted her kindly. "I hope you slept well."

Luna smiled at her sweetly. "I always do," she replied. "I like to dream, you see. I never tire of dreams."

"I suppose," Hermione said uneasily.

"Was I in them?" Harry asked, smirking slightly.

"You were," Luna admitted. "But in my dream, you were a golden snake swimming in a sea of green."

Harry grimaced. "How would you know that snake was me?"

Luna giggled. "It was a dream," she replied. "I just knew, of course."

At that moment, the owl post arrived and Harry retreated out of the conversation to look up at the parliament of owls now soaring through the halls as they dropped letters and packages.

A particularly large, white owl swooped down gracefully and landed in front of Harry; extending its foot. It looked up with large blue eyes and waited patiently. Harry inhaled sharply and removed the letter.

"You flew a long way, didn't you?" Luna asked the owl kindly. "Would you like some bacon, Mr owl? Or would you prefer a sausage?"

Relieved of its burden, the owl hopped over to Luna to accept her offering before hooting in thanks and flying off again. Harry glanced at the high table where Snape was watching him intently and opened the letter.

_For the eyes of apprentice Harry Potter_

_Mr Potter,_

_We have read both your theorem and the accompanying paper with much interest and curiosity. The foundation for the Umbral Locum is sound and its effects could one day be implemented by mind healers as you suggested._

_At this time, however, we feel that the creation of this potion has been somewhat rash and it hasn't been tested properly. Two test subjects – one of those being yourself – is not enough to stave a scientific breakthrough._

_And while you have invented a few other potions as well, we would like to see what you're able to come up with in the future before we fully accept you into our ranks._

_If you are serious about your desire to become a Potions Master, I expect you to not allow this first refusal to shake the foundation of your goals. Persevere, Mr Potter and perhaps one day you will stand among us as our equal._

_**Master Caratacus Lovegood.**_

Harry sighed in resignation. He folded the piece of parchment and put it in his pocket.

"Bad news?" Hermione asked.

"As Snape expected," Harry sighed. "They won't accept my contribution."

"There's only one thing you can do, I suppose," Luna said as she grabbed his hand.

"Oh yeah?" Harry asked. "What is that?"

"Try again, of course."

* * *

_What did you all think? Don't neglect to send me a review now! Please, as a Christmas gift?_  
_On that note, Merry Christmas to you all!_


	38. Chapter 38

_You guys have been ace at reviewing this week! What was I even worried about? Your reviews truly made my Christmas all the merrier. Thank you so much for that. And to the guests whom I can't reply to: I truly appreciate your comments as well. A big thank you to you as well._

* * *

**Chapter 38**

_Career day_.

Harry sighed as he stood in front of the door that would lead to McGonagall's office. Chairs lined the walls on either side of the door. Some were occupied with students waiting their turn but most were empty. Harry didn't exactly want to sit down. He was more of a pacer. And sure, it might bug some people out of their stress-induced daze but Harry could care less.

He glanced at the sign on the door again. Career day. The words did not change no matter how many times Harry looked at it and he couldn't help but chuckle. How often had he found himself here simply because he had been in trouble or in danger? It felt so very unreal to be here for something so very mundane and still feel more stressed about it then when he went after the Philosopher's stone in his first year.

He knew that he was being ridiculous. He had chosen his path already and he was following that until he became a Master. But on the other hand, he couldn't help but wonder what he should do if Lovegood kept rejecting him. Would he turn to the path of an Auror after all? In truth, he didn't want to. He had seen more than his fair share of blood and pain and didn't desire any more of that. Professional Quidditch player then? Snape might just kill him if he told him that. Harry chuckled to himself, earning some glares from the surrounding students. He just rolled his eyes and kept pacing when a new applicant walked into the corridor.

Harry frowned. "Draco?" he asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

Draco looked at him as if he was entirely too stupid. "The same as you, dunderhead," he said. "Career day."

"This is McGonagall's office though," Harry pointed out. "Don't you need to go find Snape?"

Draco smirked. "Oh dear, didn't he tell you?" he asked.

"Tell me what?" Harry asked in exasperation, not eager to play this game.

"The heads of houses are teaming up," Draco explained. "Apparently this is a way to combat bias.  
They put Slytherin with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw."

"What a splendid idea," Harry snorted. "Do you think they'll get through this day unscathed?"

"I'm sure they will," Draco said dismissively. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They're scheduled in two hours," Harry explained. "And unfortunately McGonagall made it very clear that no one was to loiter in the hallways until half an hour before their scheduled appointment."

Draco sat down into an empty chair and stretched his limbs, seemingly unbothered by being surrounded by Gryffindors.

"Where are the other Slytherins?" Harry asked.

"They were all scheduled later," Draco said. "I think they tried creating blocks of Slytherins and blocks of Gryffindors just to make sure that we don't hex each other's brains out."

"A nice distracting duel sure would be fun," Harry sighed. Draco merely chuckled in response.

The next thing they knew, the door opened and Dean Thomas came out looking surprisingly flustered and laden with a multitude of brochures. He quickly scampered out of the way, trying desperately not to drop anything and disappeared out of sight.

"Harry Potter," McGonagall called unnecessarily seeing how Harry stood practically in front of her. She nodded at him and walked back inside. Harry followed closely behind and with one last glance at Draco – who looked positively bored – he closed the door.

McGonagall appeared to have elongated her desk so it could comfortably fit both her and Snape who sat rigidly in his chair. The bored expression on his face matched Draco's and Harry couldn't help but snort, disguising it as a cough. Piles and piles of pamphlets and booklets lay in heaps behind McGonagall's desk and Harry curiously tried to sneak a peak but noticed that the lettering was too small to be legible from this distance. McGonagall locked the door magically and cast a silencing spell to boot – which Harry thought to be somewhat over the top – before taking her seat next to Snape.

"Welcome Mr Potter," McGonagall said, addressing him formally. "As you are aware, Professor Snape and I are here to discuss your future with you."

Harry nodded and felt a half-grin creep up his lip. "Yeah," he replied, "But I do believe that's pretty much taken care of."

"Is it?" McGonagall asked. "If you don't mind my asking what _are_ your plans for the future?"

Harry blinked stupidly and glanced at Snape before replying. "I'm apprenticing to become a Potions Master," he explained. "That's what I'm doing and what I will be doing until I reach that goal."

"That's all well and good, Mr Potter but what are you planning to do with that degree once you've attained it?"

Harry opened his mouth to respond and was slightly taken aback when his words failed him. He hadn't really considered his options and truth be told, he really didn't know what options there were.

"You clearly haven't given this too much thought just yet," Snape pointed out. "Which is precisely why we are here."

Harry exhaled and leaned back in his seat, looking between his two teachers. "Very well," he said. "What are my options?"

"One of them should be quite obvious," Snape explained evenly. "You could always find a teaching position at a school that is hiring. If not Hogwarts, there are others."

"You could also become a healing brewer," McGonagall added. "It's a stressful job which means that hospitals like St Mungo's are always hiring. You would be working on cures, antidotes and your everyday healing potions."

"You might decide to take the scientific route," Snape then said. "If you enjoy inventing potions, you could make your career out of it. Invent new recipes, patent them and sell them to the highest bidder or just sell them yourself."

"Potioneers are always needed in alchemy, artefact creation, law enforcement…" McGonagall said.

"Even at the ministry, a skilled brewer is very much sought after," Snape supplied. "And there as well, there is a multitude of branches you could explore."

Harry's mind was reeling with all the new information he was getting. He never really thought about it all that much. He thought the career of a Potions Master would be rather straightforward but it turned out that it was far from it.

"I know this is a lot to take in, Harry," Snape said. "Which is why we have a proposition for you."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"As you are probably aware, there has been a massive outbreak among muggles causing St Mungo's to be flooded with patients. They are in dire need of assistance and have been asking the potions guild for journeyman brewers to accept an internship there."

"An internship?" Harry repeated cautiously.

"It would give you a look at another part of what being a Potions Master entails," McGonagall told him matter-of-factly. "Not only that but in an environment like St Mungo's, you are sure to get a lot of experience. More so than you would get at Hogwarts."

Harry contemplated this for a moment when Snape thrust a folder into his hands. Harry flipped it open to see the detailing of an internship as potioneer as well as some information about St Mungo's.

"But when would I do this?" Harry asked. "I'm still studying."

"It would have to wait until after your seventh year, of course," Snape said easily. "I still wish you to take your N.E.W.T's to the best of your abilities. But once this year is over, you would get started at St Mungo's."

"At the start of the summer break?" Harry asked, not sure if he would like that.

Snape sighed. "Apprenticeship or not, people are suffering," he said. "If you say yes to this offer, I will be wanting you to take it seriously. So yes. It will take most of your specialisation year including the summer break."

Harry mulled this over in his mind when he saw his two teachers staring at him.

"Do I have to decide now?" Harry asked.

"Of course not," McGonagall said easily. "Feel free to take your time but don't wait too long. St Mungo's requires confirmation by the end of May at the latest."

"In the meantime," Snape interjected, "Take these." He thrust an enormous stack of paperwork in Harry's arms and smirked as he watched the boy struggle. "They will help you explore your options. I'm sure Ms Granger will happily help you sort it out."

"Right," Harry said, somewhat flabbergasted. "Thanks. And I'll think it over."

"Make sure that you do," McGonagall said. "And inform Professor Snape of your decision."

"As soon as I make it, I will," Harry said. McGonagall opened the door for him and he hurried off, only glancing momentarily at Draco who had raised an eyebrow at his suddenly flushed appearance.

* * *

A few hours later, Harry found himself sagging into one of the chairs in the great hall. It wasn't time for dinner yet, but at least here he could sit and talk to his friends without being hushed. Hermione, Ron and Draco joined him very soon. Silently, he wished that Luna could be there as well but she was in class.

"That was highly informative," Hermione said excitedly.

Harry groaned. "A bit too much so," he said.

"There's no such thing as too informative," Hermione said exasperatedly.

Draco snickered. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. "Would you care to listen to a detailed explanation of the night I've had with Ms Greengrass the other day?"

"Ew no!" Hermione replied quickly. "And you know that's not what I meant."

"What did they tell you, Ron?" Harry asked, trying desperately to steer away from the awkward conversation.

Ron sighed. "Can you believe that McGonagall is still bugging me about becoming an Auror?" he said. "I'm no good at potions at all and I'm not exactly trying to get a N.E.W.T in it so why would she even bring that up?"

"Surely you might be able to join one of your brothers in their careers," Hermione offered.

"What, and be a curse-breaker?" Ron asked incredulously. "Or tame dragons? You're mental. That's not for me." Ron sighed and laid down his head on top of his arms. "Maybe I'll become a professional quidditch player."

"What about you, Draco?" Hermione asked. "Do you still want to go in the artefact business?"

"I don't see why not," Draco said. "Though I must admit that I hadn't looked at it well enough yet. It turns out that there are a lot of different paths I can take to achieve my goal." He sighed and ran a hand through his perfectly groomed hair. "I'll need to take some time to think about this."

"I hear what you're saying," Harry sighed. "I never really thought what I would do with my life after I manage to become a Potions Master and it turns out that there's a whole lot of things I could do."

"Like what?" Hermione asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

Harry slid his pamphlets across the table to the bushy-haired girl which she excitedly accepted. "As you can see," Harry said, "there are many options. Snape even told me to consider an internship at St Mungo's."

"Harry, that's brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed. "You could gain so much experience over there. Especially now. Surely you accepted?"

"Not yet," Harry admitted. "I told Snape that I would be thinking it over. I'm not sure if St Mungo's would be for me, you know."

"But isn't Caratacus Lovegood the head of St Mungo's?" Draco pointed out.

"He is," Harry replied. "What's your point?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sneered at Harry. "Honestly!" he said. "You Gryffindors don't have an iota of cunning in your body, do you? Think, Harry. This would be your chance to show him what you're made of."

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, softly slapping the underside of his fist into his open palm. "I see what you're getting at. If I get him on my side, he might be able to convince the rest of the council to give me my mastery after all."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Have you learned nothing from living with a Slytherin?" he sighed. "This is probably why Snape proposed it in the first place."

"Either way, it sounds like a brilliant idea, Harry," Hermione said. "It will get you to brew in a professional setting to see what it's like. It would probably give you a better idea of what you want to become once you're done."

Harry smiled, feeling a bit more reassured. "You're right," he said. "Thanks. I think I _will_ accept."

"There's a good boy," Draco mocked. "So anyway, Hermione. How did _your_ appointment go?"

Harry truly tried his very best to listen to the different careers had been suggested to Hermione but there were so many and they all sounded so boring to Harry that he ended up zoning out. His mind was whirring with anticipation, thinking about just what it would be like to be working at St Mungo's.

* * *

Maya was watching over Snape's shoulder as he attempted to decipher yet another page in the book the Weasley twins had secured for him. He had gotten halfway through it by now, not in small part thanks to the book he had gotten from Maya for Christmas, but it was still a long and arduous journey to get through it all.

"I don't think that word is correct," Maya said, pointing at the word 'spear' Snape had just written down, smudging it in the process.

Snape sighed, gently swatting her hand away. "Then what do _you_ think it says?" he asked.

"It clearly says 'staff," Maya told him. She sipped the tea she was holding and flopped down onto the couch next to him, folding her legs underneath her and leaning into Snape's shoulder. He absentmindedly put an arm around her shoulders while he kept staring at the pages.

"Hm," he said. "I think you're right. That _would_ make a lot more sense." He replaced the offending error and went back to reading the text.

"Did you find anything interesting hidden in those pages yet?" Maya asked curiously.

"A few potion recipes," Snape told her. "Some of which I've never heard of before and others that seem to be older versions of modern potion recipes."

Maya snorted. "You're telling me that this book is full of potion recipes?" she asked. "And those Weasley twins just happened to find it for you?"

"Absolutely not," Snape told her, grinning widely. "I told them to get this book for me in exchange for one of my more benign inventions. I _knew_ that it would be full of recipes."

"You're such a Slytherin," Maya sighed. She put her head on Snape's shoulder and allowed her eyes to droop. "Is there anything in there that isn't about potions?"

"A few things," Snape said. "There are some personal accounts of historical events. Mostly muggle events though, so I doubt you'd find it all that informative."

"Hm," came Maya's sleepy response.

"And there's mention of a few artefacts. Though most of them seem to be either lost or simply mythological."

"Meaning?" Maya asked.

"Meaning that no such artefact ever existed and they were made up to scare the muggles or perhaps lure them into submission."

Snape glanced at the brunette when she didn't respond anymore. Her breathing had evened out and she appeared to be soundly asleep. Snape sighed and flicked his wand to summon a blanket which he then clumsily draped across the sleeping form of the history Professor. He still didn't remove the arm he had draped around her.

"Merlin save me from foolish dunderheads that insist on keeping my company," he whispered softly. He gently brushed a strand of hair out of Maya's face and tucked it behind her ear. He kissed her gently on the forehead and flicked his wand once more to dim the lights and the fire in the hearth. He then rested his chin on top of Maya's head and closed his eyes, relishing the sense of peace that overcame him. The book lay momentarily forgotten.

* * *

The next couple of months were dominated by a blissful sense of calm. There was no drama, no life-threatening circumstances and no potions that sought urgent completion. In fact, the peacefulness of the time leading up to the N.E.W.T. finals got tedious very fast and even though Harry could often find distraction in the brewing of potions both old and new, he was desperately looking forward to the day where he no longer needed to study transfiguration or charms.

The Magic Muggle potion had been featured in 'The Practical Potioneer', courtesy of Snape, of course, and as a result, Harry had soon become flooded with either requests for permission to brew it or orders in which people offered an amount of galleons that was far higher than the potion ingredients it required.

Snape had told Harry that he could try to sell the patent to the recipe for a large sum of money; accept any amount of orders for the potion he wanted or just ignore both types of letters. For now, Harry thought it better to brew the potion himself – since he was still fine-tuning his skills anyway – and perhaps sell the recipe at a later time. After all, he could probably ask for even more money once he had attained the title of Master.

A large amount of Slytherins had been glaring at Harry menacingly once they caught wind of the Magic Muggle potion – probably due to the fact that they didn't want muggles to have anything to do with their world – but after a few weeks, they seemed to forget all about it and went back to their routine of ignoring Harry to the best of their abilities.

Harry had been very pleased when he had walked into the N.E.W.T. exam for potions only to find out that he would be brewing the draught of living death for his examination. With a confident look on his face that was not shared by many other attendees, he had brewed the potion easily – ignoring the examiner every time she stepped near his cauldron – and completed it to what he knew was absolute perfection.

Transfiguration was a different matter entirely. Harry had never fully gotten the hang of human transfiguration, despite having practised his skills for days. The blond test subject whose hair he was supposed to transfigure into a long, black, curly mane instead of his short bob still had streaks of yellow run through his hair which honestly looked quite fashionable but would no doubt be a cause for point deduction.

Defence against the dark arts was – as was to be expected – a breeze as well. For this test, Harry was supposed to duel with his examiner. The man had obviously started out rather cautiously, firing spells of mid-level strength that Harry had blocked very easily. Once Harry had actually managed to get a few shots in, the examiner became rather serious and started duelling Harry in earnest. It was the most fun Harry had ever had in an exam and he had to admit that the man had been very good. After fifteen minutes, the man had called a halt to the exam, even though there had been no obvious victor. But Harry had seen the obvious smile that had graced the man's lips.

Harry was semi-certain that he had managed to pass his exam for Herbology if only because of the help Neville had given him while studying. He thought he had managed to identify each plant correctly but had not been able to repot the Narcissistic Newt Vine without allowing it a glimpse of its own crystallized roots. Unfortunately, it started swooning as it became enamoured with itself and refused to be buried again without some forceful convincing on Harry's part. It left the poor plant heartbroken and no doubt earned Harry some bad marks.

And last but not least, Harry had to struggle through his charms exam. It had been rather difficult to charm what Harry could only describe as a rabbit raccoon into submission but he thought he had done a pretty good job at it. He had calmed it down considerably and had even dared to pet the raccoon. Unfortunately, the racoon had bitten him in the end when his charm had worn off too quickly. Harry thought he would have flunked for sure. His only hope was the extra points he would have gotten for performing the spell non-verbally.

Naturally, by the end of it all, Hermione was stressing about all of her subjects, worrying about the slightest errors while Ron was just happy to have it all behind him and took to leisurely lounging about the common room. He vowed to never set foot in the library again. Even Harry took a break after he was done with his N.E.W.T's and joined Ron in games of chess and flew around the quidditch pitch with both Draco – who was absolutely positive that he passed every subject – and Ron. With Luna, he spent many a peacefully casual moment in the confines of empty classrooms and forgotten clearings in the Forbidden Forest.

And then – at last – the day had finally come for the seventh-years to receive their N.E.W.T. results. Unlike the OWL's, which were sent by owl post during the summer break – these results were announced on the very last day of school so the students would know just what steps they could take next.

That's how Harry found himself in McGonagall's office once again, staring down into a very large cup – not unlike the house cup – in which a crystal blue concoction swirled, white wisps of cold smoke escaping its vortex.

"Are you ready for this, Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked, a small smile tugging on her lips.

Harry smiled nervously. "I don't suppose you can give me a hint?" he asked, only half-joking.

"Even if I wanted to, I can't," McGonagall told him frankly. "I don't know the results myself, either." She handed Harry a piece of parchment with nothing but his name on it and gestured towards the cup. "Let's find out together, shall we? Just toss in your name, if you will."

Harry chuckled. "I couldn't have just opened a letter or something, could I?" he said.

McGonagall smiled at him. "The headmaster does like to add a bit of magic to every experience," she said fondly. "At least I've been able to stop him from charming the toilets to speak to their occupants."

Harry laughed, more because of his nervousness than the joke but he appreciated McGonagall's attempt to distract him. He took one more deep breath and tossed in the piece of parchment. It dissolved quickly in the seemingly acidic liquid and the white wisps rose and changed to a golden colour as they formed words and letters.

Potions: O  
Transfiguration: E  
Defence Against The Dark Arts: O  
Herbology: E  
Charms: A

Harry grinned broadly as he took in his marks. He passed all five of his N.E.W.T.'s, even if he had been cutting it kind of close with charms. He glanced over at his head of house who was beaming at him brightly and felt oddly aware of the fact that she would no longer be in charge of him very soon.

"Well done, Mr Potter," she told him fondly. "Though I must admit that I never had any doubt in your abilities."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied proudly. "I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

* * *

_And that's that. Are you happy with where this is headed, I wonder? Can you imagine what will happen next? Please don't forget to send a review my way. It will make me all the happier. As for tomorrow, I have another Christmas party that starts at a somewhat awkward time so I might be updating either a lot earlier or a lot later than usual. We'll see._


	39. Chapter 39

_Thank you lovely people for reviewing! This is turning out to be a very good week. Can't believe I updated every day! And it's all thanks to you! Please enjoy this next chapter as well!_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

Harry sat in a simple wooden chair that was the third from the left in a row of ten. Only two other chairs were occupied: the one on the very end by a woman in her early twenties that already sat there when Harry had arrived and the one, two seats over by an older gentleman that smiled when he caught Harry's gaze. He had small spectacles leaning on the front of his nose and he was hiding his balding head underneath a bowler hat, which he had politely tipped at the woman when he came in.

Harry sat rigidly, his hands folded in his lap as he awaited his turn. A few hallways down, he could hear urgent voices and the banging of closets. It was not every day that he found himself amidst the hustle and bustle of St Mungo's but today he was here for his interview. The more the thought about it, the more eager he became to be allowed a chance at working here for a while. That thought alone made him rather nervous so he did his best to clear his mind and ignore his surroundings.

The door opened and a girl his age stalked out rather confidently, walking away without looking back.

"Sophia Williams," called a man, reading the name from a clipboard. "We are ready to see you now."

Ms Williams got up from her seat, straightened her skirt and walked over to the man who stepped aside to allow her entry. He closed the door behind him, effectively blocking all sounds from within from escaping. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that a silencing spell was firmly in place.

"Yer needn't look so worried, lad," the older gentlemen told Harry when he was about to go back to staring at his hands. Instead, he aimed his emerald gaze at the man and blinked in slight confusion.

"Sir?" He asked respectfully.

The man inclined his head towards the door and smiled. "They'll need an 'ole lot of people ter fix the right mess they're in, don'tcha think?"

"I suppose so, sir," Harry replied, shifting his hands in his lap. He really didn't feel up to conversation right now but didn't think it polite to just ignore the man. Instead, he refocused his attention and asked: "Are you here for the internship as well?" The man looked just a tad too old for that.

"Aye, lad," the man replied scornfully. "Ah done and messed up the job ah had in me previous life. So I've found meself with no choice but ter learn a new craft or two."

"And you chose to become a potioneer?" Harry asked incredulously. He glanced at the man's hands, half expecting them to be trembling but they were steady and slender.

"Why nae?" The man said. "It's rather interestin'. An' ah think I'm rather good at it. What about ye?"

"I'm not half bad," Harry told the man. "I haven't blown up a cauldron in years."

The man chuckled. "I 'aven't exactly got a clean record' meself," he said. "But as ah said, they be needin' lots of people to 'elp. They shan't turn us away, I'm certain of it."

"I sure hope so, sir," Harry said.

The man wanted to say more but thankfully, the door opened at that moment to allow Ms Williams to walk out. Her facial expression was one of concern but that could mean just about anything.

"Harry Potter," the man with the clipboard now said. Harry ignored the gasp that elicited from the older gentleman and rose from his seat.

"You may enter," clipboard man said and Harry walked inside, very aware of the door that closed behind him and the silencing spell that was cast at the hands of Caratacus Lovegood.

"Harry Potter," he greeted evenly, gesturing towards a chair for Harry to sit on. Harry noticed that Lovegood's eyes did not travel to his scar and that his name had been spoken just like any other name would be. This both pleased and worried Harry. Obediently, he took a seat.

"It is good to see you again, Master Lovegood," Harry said as cordially as he possibly could.

"Likewise, Mr Potter," Lovegood replied dismissively. "Now, if you could kindly fill in this questionnaire for me so we can see what it is you know."

A piece of parchment was shoved in front of Harry on which fifteen questions were asked. Harry frowned at them. They were so basic that any fifth-year could have answered them. He almost felt insulted.

'_What is the main ingredient used in most antidotes_?'  
_'A bezoar'_, obviously.

'_What must you always remember when cutting up murtlap tentacles_?'  
Harry chuckled to himself in reminiscence before writing down: '_Remove the suction cups_.'

'_How can you check if a blood clotting potion has expired?'  
'Its colour becomes brown instead of red._'

And so it continued. Halfway through the written test, Harry glanced up at Lovegood in disbelief. Was the man playing with him? Why were these questions so very basic? But Lovegood was scribbling away hastily while Harry took his test, clearly still working even while taking these interviews.

Harry suppressed a sigh and finished filling in all the questions, absolutely certain that he got every last one of them correct. He handed the test back to Lovegood who scanned it over before nodding.

"Very well, Mr Potter," he said. "You are hired. Please return at seven o'clock in the morning next week Monday. You will be working with healer Johnson. Ask for him when you floo in."

Lovegood then looked towards his assistant. "Call in the next one," he said and returned his attention to his work. Harry felt somewhat flabbergasted as he was ushered out of the room. Perhaps the older gentleman outside had been right and they were really desperate to get all the help they could get. Harry scoffed to himself. Hermione would have been able to get this internship as well had she so desired. Even Ron might have. On the other hand, no. No, he wouldn't have.

"John Scofield," the man with the clipboard called as Harry took some automatic steps forward. He glanced at Mr Scofield who winked slyly before entering the office full of confidence. Harry shook his head in disbelief and made for the front entrance where he would be flooing home.

* * *

He didn't even falter when he stepped out of the floo and into the house in Spinner's End, though the soot still clung to his robes as if he had cleaned the chimney in them. Snape was waiting for him, pretending to read a book. Harry _knew_ he was pretending since he was still on the exact same page he had been on when Harry left.

"Interesting book, Severus?" Harry asked, raising a sardonic eyebrow in a feeble attempt to copy the dark Potions Master.

Snape smirked at him and put the book down. "How did it go?" he asked instead of replying to Harry's question.

Harry sighed and sank into the couch.

"That bad?" Snape asked, frowning in disbelief.

"Actually, no," Harry told him. "They practically threw the internship at me. It's like they're desperate or something."

"Why do you think so?" Snape asked.

Harry drew up his legs and folded them underneath him as he leaned on the armrest. "All I needed to do was fill out a lousy fifteen-question-questionnaire with questions that anyone who had gotten an OWL in potions would have been able to answer," he said bitterly. "They gave me the position on the spot but I think they gave it to practically anyone that showed up."

"You must understand that they're desperate," Snape pointed out. "They are tremendously shorthanded as it is, and people keep quitting on the spot."

"Still," Harry sighed. "They're going to have me do nothing but basic stuff."

"Then that is what you will do," Snape told him plainly. "You will create the most basic of potions and you will make them to be perfect. Perform to the best of your abilities and you will be trusted with more important tasks."

"Do you really think so?" Harry asked, completely unconvinced.

"Trust me," Snape said easily. "You will get your chance. As I said, they're constantly shorthanded and I'm certain that the time will come where they will be in need of your expertise. That's when you'll so kindly make yourself of use."

"And if they don't?" Harry asked.

"Even if they don't," Snape said, "you will still get the experience you need and the opportunity to learn new things. There is no rush."

Harry sighed, stealing one of Snape's biscuits. "No rush," he agreed.

* * *

That next Monday came very fast. Not wanting to be late, Harry had gotten up at five-thirty, took a quick shower and ate some breakfast – despite feeling nervous – leaving him enough time to wish Snape a good morning when the man got up at six forty-five and use the floo to get to St Mungo's.

He bypassed an already full waiting room to go the reception desk where a stocky bespectacled woman looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

"How can I help you?" she asked. Harry could hear the weariness in her voice and wondered just how long she had been working her shift already.

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry informed her, ignoring the slight widening of her eyes. "I'm here for my internship. I'm supposed to ask for healer Johnson."

The receptionist sighed deeply and grabbed a clipboard. "Right," she said after a few seconds. "Healer Johnson should be waiting for you in laboratory seven. Just take the hall on the right and keep going until you reach the elevators. Take them down to level B-1 and keep walking until you reach number seven."

That sounded easy enough. "Thanks," Harry said. The receptionist was already looking over his shoulder to greet the next person in line and Harry took that as his cue to leave. He followed the instructions he had been given and ended up in his designated location with relative ease. The first thing he noticed when he reached level B-1 was how quiet the corridors were. He wondered if this was because of silencing spells or because of the lack of brewers. Deciding not to dwell on it, he walked into lab seven where a tall man was brewing what smelled like an antidote for lesser poisons. He looked up when Harry walked in and motioned for the boy to take a seat.

"I'll be right with you, Mr Potter," he said, stirring the potion. "I just need to focus on finishing this potion."

Seeing how he was a little bit early, Harry didn't mind. While healer Johnson was brewing, Harry looked around the room and found it ridiculously empty. It was a very large room that was a hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. Throughout the middle of the room stood a very long table that stretched from the front to the back of the room, a couple of stools on wheels resting underneath it.

The walls were lined with potion ingredients from top to bottom with large stairs attached to the shelves in order for the brewers to be able to get to them. Harry saw practically every ingredient he could imagine and that included even the rarest of sorts. Underneath the tables, there were also several shelves but these were lined with books to their fullest capacity which seemed to be more than it physically could be.

Many grates with empty cauldrons waited to be used, stirrers of every shape and size resting on the table. Parchment and quills could be found for when notes needed to be taken and there was even some chalk available that Harry could use for a containment field should he so desire.

"There," healer Johnson said as he hauled his cauldron off the fire. "That should do it. At least I hope so."

"It looks alright to me," Harry said.

"You would know, I suspect," Johnson pointed out. "While I do know some things about the brewing of potions, I am definitely no potioneer. But everyone needs to pitch in while people leave left and right."

"Why are people quitting?" Harry dared ask.

Johnson sighed. "The stress gets to them," he replied. "Many potions need to be brewed nowadays; Not only that but chief Lovegood wants a cure to be found for the sick muggles and when the potioneers are unable to do that, he can get somewhat cross."

"Am I the only one who will be working here, sir?" Harry asked as he glanced around the empty room once more.

"Normally I have one other person coming in," Johnson said, checking his watch. "But he seems to be running late. Not a good start to an internship, I daresay." He put his hands on his hips, looking into his cauldron for a moment before snapping his attention back to Harry.

"In any case, I'll be needing for you to brew three hundred pain-relieving potions today," he said. "Stocks are running low and our patients are suffering."

"Three hundred?" Harry gasped. "I don't think I can do that before five o'clock."

Johnson laughed out loud at that. "Mr Potter," he said. "None of us have the luxury of leaving on time. I suspect you will notice that soon enough. Ah, Mr Scofield, there you are."

Harry barely had the time to register the assumption that he would be staying until very late when the kindly older gentleman he had met earlier walked in with a big smile on his face.

"Sorry I'm late," John said. "The floo traffic was nae pleasant."

"Don't worry Mr Scofield," Johnson said, waving off his apology. "I need you to start brewing blood replenishing potions. About a hundred should do for now."

"Aye, Healer Johnson, ah will," John said, completely undeterred by the expected amount. He rolled up his sleeves and walked over to the left side of the table. Harry remained on the right side and did the same.

"I will leave you to it then," Johnson said. "If you need me, I'll be upfront with the patients."

"Aye, sir," John said at the same time that Harry said: "Yes, sir."

The healer left, leaving the two interns up to their own devices.

"I told yer tha' they would 'appily take anyone," John said as he gathered his ingredients. "They even took a chance on me."

"But there were others too," Harry pointed out. He got water started in eight cauldrons and started gathering his ingredients as well. "And they're not in here."

"This is lab seven," John replied easily, "I reckon tha' there are other brewers in the other labs as well."

"You're probably right," Harry said. He started preparing his ingredients, making sure to reactivate the ones he could with innate magic the same way Snape had taught him. He caught John glancing at him curiously a couple of times but didn't allow the man to distract him.

"At the risk of soundin' a wee bit dumb," John said after a while, "Magic is s'posed ta be detrimental ta potions innit?"

Harry smiled. "It is," he agreed. "But only if you don't know how to use innate magic. My Master showed me how."

"That's mighty interestin', tha' is," John said in obvious excitement. "An' who is yer Master, laddie?"

"Severus Snape," Harry said proudly. "He taught me everything I know."

"I've 'eard of 'im," John said, clumsily grinding some bat fangs. "He's in the practical Potioneer a lot int it he?"

"All the time," Harry agreed. "And he deserves to be. He's really good at what he does."

"I reckon' he is," John agreed, continuing to prepare his ingredients in silence. Harry – who was grateful that the man stopped asking questions, continued preparing his very large pile of ingredients with the expert motions of a seasoned brewer. He noticed that John was moving a lot slower as he was still trying to cut his ingredients as precisely as he could. He didn't show the automatic movements that Harry had already mastered and Harry wondered if the man would even be able to brew half of what he was ordered today.

It didn't take long for Harry to reach that point where he withdrew into his own thoughts and just created his potions without even thinking too much about it. It was when he felt most at peace and not even the impossible amount of potions they were expecting from him brought him any stress. It just made him all the more determined to show them all just what he was made of.

Methodically, he worked his eight cauldrons at once, bottling the finished potions expertly as soon as they were ready and placing them on the waiting tray. Every hour or so, a nurse would come to take the potions with her, whirling them off to wherever these potions got stored. John was also able to complete several potions each hour and although he didn't move as fast as Harry, his potions seemed to be well-brewed.

It was nearing midday and Harry had sent off his last cauldrons for cleaning, filling eight new ones with water when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hi, Harry."

He turned around to find Luna standing in the doorway, a satchel in her hand.

"Luna,' Harry greeted happily. He left his cauldrons for what they were and rushed over to give Luna a quick kiss. "What are you doing here?"

"It's nearly lunchtime," she said matter-of-factly. "You must be getting hungry." She smiled and extended the hand that held the satchel. Harry chuckled and looked at her.

"How did you even know that I neglected to bring lunch?" he asked.

"Did I know that?" Luna asked and Harry wondered if she was talking to him or to herself. "I suppose I might have. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others, don't you think?"

"Yer absolutely right, lassie," John said as he wiped his hands on a piece of cloth. "The lad is so caught up in 'is work tha' I dinnae think he would bother to eat."

Luna smiled kindly at him. "He gets like that sometimes," she said. "But that's alright. I'll look out for him."

"He's lucky ter 'ave ye," John said easily. "Name's John, by the way. John Scofield."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Scofield," Luna said, shaking his hand. "I'm Luna Lovegood."

"Like ther chief?" John asked. "Is he yer da'? Never mind. Tha's rude of me ter ask."

"Not at all," Luna said kindly. "The chief is my uncle. He's a very nice man."

"I reckon'," John replied. Harry glanced at him, willing the man to leave him to eat with Luna in peace and apparently he was smart enough to get the message.

"I'll be off ter continue brewin' now," John said all of a sudden. "I fear I'm somewhat be'ind."

"I'll see you in a bit," Harry said before joining Luna outside.

"He seems nice," Luna commented.

"Overly so," Harry said in exasperation. "I just want to focus on brewing but he seems to want to talk a lot."

"I'm sure he means well," Luna said as she hooked her arms around Harry's elbow. "He's no doubt eager to get to know you and learn from you. I got the sense that he's really interested in brewing."

"Well, he should be," Harry pointed out. "He's an intern here just like me."

"Then you should do your best to get along," Luna said. "You'll probably be spending a lot of time with him."

Harry groaned but nodded. "You're right," he said. "As you always are."

"How has your day been going?" Luna asked.

"Alright," Harry said. "I've only been brewing pain relief potions and it doesn't look like I'll be done with them for a while but it's actually been fun. There's something relaxing about methodically doing something you're good at. And I've brewed this potion so many times already, I know exactly how to brew it."

Luna and Harry went to sit down at a table in the courtyard of the hospital. It was a nice day out and Harry enjoyed the rays of sunshine that reached his skin. Luna started unpacking the duffle bag and revealed sandwiches with cheese as well as two pieces of treacle tart that Harry eyed hungrily.

"This is amazing, Luna," Harry said as he grabbed one of the sandwiches.

"You should thank your dad for this," Luna said evenly as she nibbled her own sandwich.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"He prepared this lunch for us," Luna said happily. "And then he flooed me and asked me to bring this to you. I think he thought you might have appreciated it."

Harry blushed slightly as he got started on his second sandwich. He couldn't believe how hungry he had gotten without even noticing it.

"It's nice how he's looking out for you," Luna then said. "Oh, this one is with jam. Want some?"

When Harry opened his mouth to reply, Luna took her chance and inserted the sandwich into Harry's mouth who took a bite before Luna retreated. He did his best not to choke on the unexpected bite of food and chewed it.

"It's good, isn't it?" Luna asked. She was leaning her head on her hand as she watched Harry rather coyly.

Harry laughed after he finally swallowed his food and claimed one of the pieces of treacle tart. "It was lovely, Luna," he said. "So how have you been getting on?"

"Oh, I've been enjoying my summer so far," Luna said dreamily. "I've already finished my potions essay for Professor Slughorn. He asked an essay about liquid luck but I think he would rather enjoy my addition about the Chinese Crane and how its presence seems to elicit the same effect."

"Does it?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"I'm rather sure of it," Luna replied, now claiming the second piece of treacle tart. "My father went to China once. He met a crane in Xi'an that followed him around for the better part of the day. He's never been luckier."

"Your father has been to China?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," Luna said. "He travels quite often. He's been to nearly every part of the world in his search of rare fauna and flora."

"Have you ever gone with him?" Harry asked, his piece of treacle tart now gone.

"Only very rarely," Luna replied. "I was at school during most of his travels and even during the summer vacation, he prefers to leave me at home. He tells me it's not safe, you see?"

Slyly, Luna slid the second half of her treacle tart over to Harry, smiling sweetly all the while.

Harry frowned as he stared at the piece of tart that seemed to mysteriously appear in front of him, not really registering where it came from. "He leaves you alone?" he asked.

"Sometimes," Luna said." But it's quite alright. He always brings me back something fascinating. And he has so many stories to tell."

Harry absentmindedly began eating the treacle tart as he thought about that. "I don't mean to be rude but doesn't that seem a bit…harsh?"

"Oh no," Luna objected. "He doesn't mean to be harsh at all. It's just that since my mother died, he sometimes seems to forget that I'm still there."

Harry grabbed Luna's hand concernedly and squeezed it.

"Don't feel sad, Harry," Luna told him before he could start comforting her. "I love my father very much and I know for sure that he feels the same. It's just that sometimes I need to take care of him as much as he needs to take care of me. It's like with you and Professor Snape."

"What?" Harry asked. "I don't think that's right. I haven't really done anything for Severus."

"You and I both know that that's not true," Luna told him. "And it's fine that way. It's nice to be depended on sometimes, don't you think?"

Harry thought about that, finally realizing that Luna had sneakily given him the largest part of her own piece of treacle tart. He smiled at the thoughtful girl and raised her hand to his lips to kiss it.

"You're amazing, Luna," he told her. "Thank you so much for keeping me company."

"Anytime, Harry," Luna said sweetly. "Now go on. Go back to saving the world again."

Harry chuckled. He got up, kissed the top of Luna's head and headed back to his lab. If she would manage to come over like this every now and then, he knew that he would make it through these days easily. With a spring in his step and a smile on his face, he went back to brewing the pain-relieving potions with renewed vigour.

* * *

It was past eleven o'clock when Harry finally stumbled out of the fireplace to get back home. The lights were out and the rooms were quiet. Snape had already gone to bed, no doubt. Harry yawned as he ran a hand through his hair, barely succeeding in keeping his eyes open. But he had done it. He had brewed all three hundred pain-relieving potions in one day.

He had gotten very surprised looks from healer Johnson when he announced his results and suspected that they might not even have expected Harry to finish his assignment in one day. John surely hadn't managed. He had only finished forty blood replenishing potions.

Harry dragged himself up the stairs and into his room, collapsing onto his bed without even taking his clothes and shoes off first. It didn't even take ten seconds for him to fall into a deep sleep that he would not stir from easily. That's why he didn't notice when Snape came into his room just twenty minutes later to remove his shoes, transfigure his clothes into pyjama's and lift his blankets to rest on top of him.

* * *

_Per the norm, this will be the last update of the week. I will be back on Monday, though! Please tell me what you think through your fabulous reviews! I'm anxious to know how you feel about all of this._

_Oh, and a happy birthday to Vueren!_


	40. Chapter 40

_A big thank you to all the lovely people who sent a review. As always, they put a smile on my face. Thanks for waiting so patiently for this next chapter. Here it is!_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

Throughout the next couple of weeks, Harry dutifully got up at five-thirty, got showered, ate breakfast and left for St Mungo's. Sometimes he would see Snape in the last five minutes before he took his leave but most of the time, he didn't.

Nine times out of ten, Luna would meet Harry for lunch, lifting his spirits and bringing him some of his favourites to eat. Treacle tart was often a part of it and almost every time, Harry ended up eating her piece of tart as well.

Harry would always get an impossible amount of potions to brew and he managed every day to complete his task while John never was. Though Harry had to admit that the potions he _did_ finish were of very respectable quality.

He would never be home in time for dinner nor even before nightfall. More often than not, Snape would have already gone to bed by the time Harry got in and if not, Harry was too exhausted to engage in any conversation that went beyond 'Good night' anyways.

Right now, Harry was focusing on brewing a batch of fever reducer. He had raised the number of cauldrons he was working with from eight to twelve, bustling about as the concoctions required new ingredients to be added, and putting a stasis on those that needed his immediate attention but that he couldn't get to just yet. He was so very much into the brewing zone that he didn't even notice it when a few people entered the lab.

"Harry Potter!" said a harsh voice. Harry glanced up from what he was doing for a moment to see chief Lovegood standing there next to healer Johnson and a few other healers that Harry didn't recognise. Harry flushed when he realized who had come down to what he now considered to be _his_ lab but knew that he couldn't get too distracted lest his potion would fail. So he went back to adding sudarshan leaves to the potion while addressing Chief Lovegood.

"How might I be of assistance, sir?" Harry asked, immediately walking over to another cauldron as to not waste any time.

"What in the blazes are you doing, boy?" healer Johnson exclaimed. Harry glanced at him, somewhat confused, but wasted no time to get back to yet another cauldron to give it the much needed stirring it required. "You asked for fever-reducing potions, did you not, sir?" he asked. "That's what I'm brewing."

"And is there any reason why you're using twelve cauldrons instead of one, Mr Potter?" Lovegood now asked. "Do you realize the dangers of dividing your attention as such?"

Harry put a stasis on all of the cauldrons with a single flick of his wand to now give the healers his full attention. He noticed that John had also stopped brewing and was following the conversation closely.

"Harry 'as been brewin' like this fer weeks," John said. "And he's not made a single mistake yet."

"I did not ask your opinion, Mr Scofield," Lovegood said without taking his eyes off of Harry. "Kindly go back to brewing your potion. You are behind as it is, as I understand."

"Aye sir," John said dejectedly as he went back to his stirring.

"I don't understand the problem, sir," Harry said honestly. "This is how I've been taught to brew. This is how I've always done it."

"You're an apprentice," Lovegood said coldly. "A Master such as Severus Snape will have no problem with controlling multiple cauldrons at once, I'm sure, but a boy such as yourself – who has no experience worth speaking of – will not be brewing quite so dangerously!"

Harry frowned and opened his mouth to argue but Lovegood wasn't done yet.

"We were wondering how you always managed to brew as much as you did, and now we have our answer. But no more."

"But sir!" Harry finally spoke up. "If it gets you the necessary potions when you need it, and I don't have any problem brewing like this, what is the problem? I can do this!"

"Mind your place," healer Johnson then said. "You're speaking to the Chief and you would best mind your tone."

Harry glanced at his direct supervisor and saw a flash of pity in his eyes.

"People need these potions," Harry said, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "And you're severely understaffed. I know for a fact that most of the interns you accepted have already quit again. I can make you these potions in record time and have proved to you that I can do this. Why would you sabotage me like this?"

"Because you are not brewing safely," Lovegood snarled, seemingly losing his temper. "I will not have an apprentice blowing up the hospital simply because he's too arrogant to see that he's bitten off more than he can chew"

"But I'm not –"

"Enough," Lovegood said dangerously. "Others may accept your rebellious attitude because of your name and the stories attached to it, but I will not. You will follow the rules just like anyone else and you will not endanger anyone with your folly. If you cant do as I say, you will be kicked out of the internship program."

Harry doubted that he could be missed at this point but thought it better not to test this theory. So he remained calm and didn't say another word even though he was fuming on the inside.

"You will finish the potions in these cauldrons one by one," Lovegood then said. "And once those are done, you will resort to using one cauldron at a time. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Chief," Harry said evenly, trying to not show any emotion in his voice.

Lovegood nodded sharply and left again, followed on his heel by the other healers, some of which threw incredulous glances in Harry's direction.

Once a few seconds had passed, John spoke up. "Awa' an bile yer heid," he grumbled. "Tha' auld dobber cannae even see a good thing when it bites 'im in the arse."

Harry sighed in response. "I can't brew the number of potions he needs when I use only one cauldron at a time," he said as he stirred the first one. "I just don't understand what the big deal is."

"Well, 'tis quite rare to see anyone brewin' multiple brews at once," John said. "I dinnae ken anyone ter do tha'."

Harry shrugged. "That doesn't mean it's dangerous," he said. "And he'll run out of potions much sooner than he'd like this way."

John shrugged and winked at Harry. "He'll ken 'is mistake soon enough," he said.

"I suppose you're right," Harry sighed though it still didn't sit right with him. But John went back to his own brewing and left Harry to lightly simmer in peace, much like the fever reducer.

* * *

Snape sat in his chair by the fire, sipping a glass of pumpkin juice as he thought about his current situation.

While he was happy that Harry was taking his internship so seriously, he was beginning to wonder if Harry was not working himself too hard. He seemed to be exhibiting a combination of the hard-working mentality the Dursleys had knocked into him and the hero complex that had guided most of his rash actions at Hogwarts. Young as he was, if Harry went on like this much longer, he might just get sick himself. And knowing Harry, the boy would not let on anything was wrong until it was too late.

Snape had regularly been sending Harry messages through the cuff they shared and always received a reply back after, though it was always short and to the points.

'_Has your partner blown up any cauldrons yet_?' Snape sent to Harry in an attempt to start some light-hearted banter. In the brief moments they had been able to talk to one another, Harry had told Snape about the older gentleman that had decided to turn his life around while he was well in his fifties. Apparently, he had potential but was nowhere near as skilled as one needed to be while working on a schedule.

'_No._' Harry replied shortly.

Snape looked at the word and sighed, not knowing what he could reply to that anymore. Harry was undoubtedly busy and so he just let him be.

Snape hissed when he felt a sharp pain in his thumb and glanced down to see that his glass had bitten him.

"Maya," he called out with mild annoyance.

"What?" Maya called back rather groggily from within the bedroom.

"Is there any reason in particular why you found it necessary to charm my glass so it would bite me?"

There was a momentary silence, followed by a few thuds and thumps as Maya was undoubtedly getting up and getting herself dressed. She emerged moments later with a delighted smirk on her face.

"Payback," she said easily. "For charming the mirror to show a stain on my face that wasn't there."

"I see," Snape replied dryly. He tapped his wand against the glass to get it to behave again before setting it down. "Have you heard anything from your sister lately?" he asked as Maya waltzed into the kitchen to help herself to a danish.

"No," Maya replied. "I haven't but she rarely keeps in touch anyway. Why?"

When Snape didn't reply, Maya chuckled. "You miss Alex, don't you?"

"That's preposterous," Snape scoffed. "It's just out of the ordinary that Alexander hasn't bothered me yet."

"If you're worried, why don't you just go over there?" Maya suggested. She walked back into the sitting room and flung herself sideways on Snape's lap, draping one arm, around his neck for balance. Snape smiled at the intrusive woman who seemed to have no respect for personal boundaries.

"It's not becoming to visit people without notice," Snape said evenly.

"Now you're just making up excuses," Maya chided, lightly tugging on Snape's hair for punishment. "Why do you have such issues with admitting that Alex is your friend and that you miss having him around?"

"He's not my –"

"Would you stop?" Maya said. "Don't you lie to me, Severus Snape. Now repeat after me. Alex is my friend."

"Maya, I hardly think that –"

"That does not even sound remotely like what I wanted you to say," Maya said. "Try again."

Snape narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

"No?" Maya asked innocently? She gently cupped Snape's face and teased him with a light kiss that she quickly withdrew from when he tried to reciprocate. She grinned evilly. "Well?"

"You're such a tease," Snape said but then he sighed in resignation. "As you wish. Alexander is my friend and I'm worried about him."

"Good man," Maya praised before hungrily drawing Snape into another kiss. "Why don't we go and check up on him then?"

"In a bit," Snape agreed. "First, I have some other plans."

Maya giggled when Snape grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. The half-eaten danish she was eating dropped to the floor as Snape headed back into the bedroom, laughing theatrically.

* * *

Harry smiled politely as Luna unpacked the baguettes with fried eggs on them, handing one to Harry.

"This looks great, Luna," Harry said honestly. The eggs had been kept warm with a warming charm and the bread was crunchy. And yet, Harry didn't seem to have much of an appetite. After taking two bites, he stopped eating and stared at a dirty spot on the table, thinking about the earlier occurrence.

He was drawn out of his reveries when Luna grabbed his hand. He looked into her blue eyes in confusion and then noticed how rude he was being. "I'm sorry, Luna," he said honestly. "I didn't mean to ignore you or anything."

"What's on your mind?" she asked kindly. "It might help to talk about it."

"It's a bit difficult," Harry admitted.

"Because it has something to do with my uncle?" Luna asked knowingly.

Harry chuckled. "Always the perceptive one, aren't you?" he said incredulously. "But yes, it does."

"You can tell me," Luna told Harry honestly. "I will understand if you're upset with him. He can be difficult sometimes."

"He told me I can't brew in multiple cauldrons at once," Harry grumbled. "I've been doing fine these last couple of weeks. I've completed every last one of the ridiculous assignments I have been given and I've not wasted a single potion."

He looked at Luna but she just looked back at him serenely, cupping his hand with hers and listening intently to his troubles.

"I honestly don't know how they want me to brew three hundred bloody pain reliever potions in a single day when I can only use one cauldron. I'm already here from dusk till dawn only getting a break to hurriedly eat my lunch and dinner. I don't see any of my friends, or my father anymore but I've never complained about it. After all, those sick people really need the potions."

Harry inhaled deeply when he noticed that he was running out of breath. Luna still didn't reply. She just handed him a glass of water from which he drank eagerly before continuing.

"After all those weeks, Chief Lovegood just waltzes into my lab with a slew of healers and tells me off for not brewing one potion at a time. He says that only someone as accomplished as Severus could do that and that he won't risk me blowing up the hospital just because of my arrogance."

Harry clenched his free hand into a fist and stared angrily at that same dirty spot on the table.

"He feels that I only do these things because of who I am. Not for a moment does he seem to consider that I actually know what I'm doing. He even threatened to end my internship if I continue the way I've been going. But I don't know how to else to complete my assignments if I don't."

Harry sighed deeply and found to his horror that tears seemed to be welling up in his eyes. Blaming them on his exhaustion, he blinked them away and looked hopelessly at his girlfriend. "Luna, what am I going to do?"

The kind look in Luna's eyes had shifted to one of fierce determination and yet she smiled.

"You're going to continue brewing," Luna told him easily. "Because that is what you do. You do what you think is best and don't let anyone stop you."

Luna got up from her seat, moved to stand behind Harry and gently put her arms around him in a warm embrace. She kissed Harry on the cheek as he grabbed her arms as if they were some sort of lifeline.

"You're not going to allow anyone to get to you. Not even the chief of medicine," she told him knowingly. "You're Harry Potter. You're the boy who warmed Severus Snape's heart, the boy who made friends with Draco Malfoy. You helped me when I was bullied and you worked hard on all of your creations. You have friends and family that care for you, not because of your great accomplishments, but because of who you are."

Harry couldn't help but smile at Luna's reassurances. He leaned back into her hug and looked up to meet her loving gaze. "Thank you, Luna," he said fondly. "That really helped."

"I'm glad," Luna said, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Now, you'd best eat your food and get back to work."

"Where are you going?" Harry asked, confused when Luna went in the wrong direction to floo out.

"Oh, I just have some things I need to do," she told him sweetly. And then she was gone, leaving a somewhat befuddled Harry behind.

* * *

Snape stood staring at the blasted door of his blasted muggle-friend with a frightening scowl on his face contemplating at what point in his life he turned into the soft-hearted man that would worry about someone as frivolous as Alexander.

And since when did he listen to anyone but Dumbledore telling him what to do? Even if that someone was a gorgeous chocolate-haired woman that made away with his heart.

Snape shook himself from his unhelpful thoughts and knocked on the door with the ferocity of a landlord eager to collect his overdue rent.

There were some sounds coming from inside that made it clear that someone was home but it took a very long time before the door actually opened to reveal a very dishevelled-looking Alexander. He looked as if he hadn't bathed in days. There were bags under his eyes and that annoyingly permanent grin on his face had vanished without a trace. And when he saw Snape, there was no denying the fear that sprung to life in his eyes. Snape couldn't help but feel a sharp twinge of worry.

"Severus," Alex breathed. "Why are you here?"

Snape frowned. "I hadn't seen you for quite some time," he said. "I was merely wondering if everything was alright."

Alex glanced downward before looking back up at Snape. There was a grief in his eyes that Snape had never wished to see on the man's face. He suddenly became even more worried.

"Alex," he said sternly. "Where are Charles and Emma?"

"Charles is at his grandparents," Alex said. "And Emma… Emma is inside. But Severus, she is so sick."

"Why didn't you warn me?" Snape snarled as he brusquely moved past Alex and walked towards where he knew their bedroom was. "You've never been shy to ask my help in the past. Why didn't you come to me this time?"

"I don't want her taken away," Alex said. There was a hopelessness in his voice that broke even Snape's heart.

"Taken away?" he asked. "What do you mean? Why would I take her away?"

"It's this epidemic," Alex said in a hushed voice. "It's all over the papers nowadays. People are getting sick. And all of a sudden, they disappear. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

With a few large strides, Snape had made it into the bedroom where Emma lay shivering in the bed. He kneeled beside her and gently put a hand on her forehead.

"It's going to be alright, Emma," Snape said kindly. "I'm here for you."

"I won't let you take her away," Alex said sternly but his voice trembled. Snape ignored him while he took Emma's pulse. He sighed when he noticed that it was a bit slow. He then motioned for Alex to join him in the hall.

"You're right," he told the muggle. "Those disappearances have happened because this illness is of a magical origin. The healers have taken in the muggles that have fallen ill, trying to separate them from the healthy muggles."

"Are they able to cure it?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Snape told him. "The best healers are working on it but no cure has been found. If we take Emma to St Mungo's –"

"No!" Alex objected, moving in front of the door to the bedroom as if he needed to shield his wife from Snape. "If they can't help her anyway, I don't want her to go there. Please –"

"Alex-"

"I'll do anything. I can take care of her!" Alex said in desperation. "Please don't take her. I know you could if you wanted to but… I'll…"

Snape sighed and ran a hand through his hair. For a moment, he didn't know what to do. If he took Emma to St Mungo's, she could receive the magical care she needed but he could also understand Alex's worry. The muggle authorities were probably going crazy with all the disappearances of the sick people and their papers were probably full of conspiracy theories.

"Alright, Alex," Snape finally said. "I won't take her anywhere. But on one condition."

"Yes?" Alex said, his stance relaxing slightly.

"You'll allow me to give her the potions I think she'll need," Snape said. "And you will get some food in you from time to time. I also believe sleep and a shower are in order."

Alex chuckled, though the sound of it was not quite as happy as Snape would've liked it. "You win, Severus," he said. "You're really a good friend, do you know that?"

"As are you," Snape admitted. "Don't worry. I will help you to the best of my abilities. You can count on me."

"I always do, Sev," Alex replied wearily, flashing a brief yet genuine smile in Snape's direction. "I always do."

* * *

Harry stared at the missive in his hand. It was short and to the point, written by Caratacus Lovegood himself.

_Mr Potter,_

_Come to my office at 13:45.  
Do not be late._

_C. Lovegood_

Harry wondered what he could've possibly done wrong now but he dared not stay away. For a moment, he missed the expectation of detentions and loss of points at Hogwarts because then he knew what was coming. Now, there was nothing but uncertainty.

He knocked on the door at exactly 13:45 and entered when he was prompted to do so by the commanding voice of the chief.

"Mr Potter," Lovegood greeted curtly. "Do come in and close the door, if you will."

Harry did as he was told and stood waiting.

Lovegood sighed. "Take a seat boy," he said. "Come now, we're both busy people and I'm sure you would like to get this meeting over with as quickly as I do."

"Sir?" Harry asked as he took his seat. "I'm not sure what this is about."

"Of course you're not," Lovegood said. "But I'm not one for small talk so let's get straight to the point. You're dating my niece."

Harry's eyes widened momentarily and shifted briefly to Lovegood's wand that lay casually on the edge of his desk. "I am, sir," Harry told him, doubting if it was a good idea to admit that at this point.

"During lunch, my niece seemed to deem it necessary to come into my office and tell me just how unfair I'm being," Lovegood continued.

Harry was unable to suppress a mortified groan. "I'm so sorry, sir," Harry said. "That was never my intention. I'll talk to –"

Harry was stopped when Lovegood raised his hand. "As she explained to me your attitude in school as well as your accomplishments both in and out of the field of potions, I realized that I might have been somewhat unfair towards you."

Harry couldn't help but stare.

"While I would never allow any intern to brew as you have been, I understand that you've been doing so for a while now and that you're managing just fine. Only the boys who need to clean the cauldrons can complain about that."

Harry secretly pinched himself to see if he was dreaming. Did Lovegood just make a joke?

"On another note, I think I need to make clear that when we assign you a certain amount of potions to brew, it is not expected for you to complete said assignment in a day's time," Lovegood continued. "That being said though, I agree that it's been most useful for you to brew the way you have. Our healers would be in even more trouble if you weren't as skilled as I have to admit you are. Therefore, I give you permission to use multiple cauldrons again. If you, however, have an accident while doing so, this privilege will be revoked immediately. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Harry said in wonder. "Thank you, sir!"

"Alright, Mr Potter," Lovegood then said. "You'd best be off. I understand that we really need the rest of those fever reducer potions soon."

"Right away!" Harry said eagerly. He nearly knocked over his chair in his haste to get out and get started again, eager to show chief Lovegood that his newfound faith in him was not unfounded.

He hurried back towards the elevator and was about to get in when he locked eyes with a familiar, distraught-looking Slytherin. He skidded to a halt as he took in the dishevelled appearance of the blonde.

"Draco," Harry said. "What are you doing here?"

* * *

_Oops. Looks like it sort of ended on a cliffhanger. Sorry! Do let me know what you thought, please. The next chapter will be up tomorrow._


	41. Chapter 41

_Thank you all for your fast reviews! I was really amazed. You all know how much I appreciate it. On another note, I finished writing the last chapter yesterday so I can tell you that there will be 47 in total. Let the countdown begin._

* * *

**Chapter 41**

The look that Draco gave Harry was one of worry and concern, but not for Harry's sake. When Harry looked a bit closer, he could see some traces of blood on Draco's hands and robes. The blonde himself seemed to be frozen in his tracks as if he was not sure of what to do next.

"Draco," Harry urged again. "What happened? Are you hurt?" As if on instinct, Harry grabbed one of Draco's hands and checked to see if it was injured in any way but Draco pulled his hand free before Harry could get a closer look.

"I'm fine," Draco replied, his voice emotionless as if he was trying to contain himself. "Shouldn't you go back to work?"

"I will in a second," Harry said. "But I get the feeling that right now, my friend needs me."

A long moment passed in which Harry and Draco stared each other down before Draco relented with a sigh and a shaky shrug.

"It's my mother," he said, his voice barely audible. "This morning, she had regressed to when she was a young girl. When she looked in the mirror and saw herself, she got really scared."

Draco's voice was shaking and Harry put a comforting hand on his shoulder but said nothing.

"I couldn't calm her down in time," Draco continued hopelessly. "There was some accidental magic – I didn't even know that could still happen with adults – and she blew up the mirror. There was glass flying everywhere and she got cut by most of it."

Draco sobbed and buried his face into his hands. "Even after all that, I couldn't get her to calm down," Draco said. "She didn't recognise me and she was hurt. A few of her injuries were bleeding badly and I was getting worried so I – I stunned her and brought her here. Harry, I stunned my own mother!"

Harry moved closer and enveloped his suffering friend into an embrace. Draco did not fight him.

"I'm so sorry, Draco," Harry told him honestly. "I didn't realize that things had gotten so bad. It must have been really hard on you."

"I don't know what to do anymore," Draco hiccoughed. "I'm only eighteen. I don't know how to deal with this."

"You did the right thing by bringing her here," Harry told him. "I'm sure that the healers will take very good care of her."

"Yes," Draco replied bitterly. "And then I can take her back home and the whole thing can start all over again."

Harry withdrew from the hug, placing a hand on either of Draco's shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"Draco, if this is becoming too much for you, you can always leave her at St Mungo's. There's a specialized wing for people with her kind of condition."

"I can't leave her here," Draco said, horrified. "She's my mother. I will take care of her like she would take care of me."

Harry nodded. "As you say, Draco," he said. "I was merely making a suggestion. Would you like me to accompany you to your mother's room?"

"I – I would like that," Draco admitted, smiling slightly at his friend. "But don't you have things to do?"

"I will stay a bit longer tonight," Harry said easily, neglecting to say that he already stayed much longer than he should. "It's alright."

Draco nodded and led Harry to his mother's private room. They walked in silence and when they reached the door, Harry waited patiently for Draco to muster the courage to turn the knob.

At long last, they entered the room, finding Narcissa Malfoy strapped to the bed as she stared out of the window to her right. Her hair was a tangled mess and she seemed to have lost some weight. Her eyes that once held such strength were now filled with confusion and uncertainty. She looked up when Harry and Draco walked in and smiled ever so slightly.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice slightly higher pitched than it should be.

"You're in St Mungo's, mother," Draco told her. "You had a bit of an accident."

"I've told Bella not to play with fire," Narcissa sighed wearily. "When she does, it's always _me_ that gets burned." She turned her eyes towards Harry and looked at him hopefully. "Did Bella get punished for it?"

Harry smiled at the woman and nodded. "Of course she did, Narcissa," he told her kindly.

"That's good," Narcissa sighed, leaning back somewhat. She then locked eyes with Draco again. "Where am I?"

There was no mistaking the pain in Draco's eyes when he answered for a second time. "St Mungo's."

"I don't like hospitals," Narcissa told him. "Why would you bring me here? I want to go home!" She struggled against her bonds and looked as if she was ready to scratch someone's eyes out but she couldn't win from her restraints and eventually gave up. She kept her seething stare locked on Draco. The Slytherin was very startled.

"You were hurt," Draco pointed out. "I'm not too good at healing. I had to bring you here."

Narcissa's anger seemed to deflate as she looked at Draco with concern. She motioned for him to get closer and Harry thought he saw a flicker of recognition in Narcissa's eyes. Draco seemed to have seen the same as he eagerly moved closer and grabbed his mother's hand.

"Lucius, my love," she said sweetly. "I've missed you. Could you tell me where I am?"

Harry's heart ached for Draco as he saw the blonde open his mouth to try and formulate an answer. When no words came out, Harry answered the question for him.

"You're in St Mungo's, Narcissa," he said kindly. "You've injured yourself. Can you remember that?"

"Of course I can," she replied, smiling sweetly. Her eyes never left Draco's grey ones. "My love, why do you look so sad?" she asked. "I'll be okay. I'll come home to you in no time. You'll see."

Tears now fell from Draco's eyes as he pushed his forehead against Narcissa's hand, eager for the touch, even if her love was not strictly directed at him.

"Everything will be alright," she said comfortingly. She then turned her gaze on Harry who was trying to salvage his neutral expression. The confusion in her eyes was evident as she seemed to recognise him but couldn't quite produce a link in her mind. Her gaze flickered downward as she seemed to try and recollect herself and when she locked gazes with Harry again, all signs of recognition seemed to be gone.

She smiled sweetly and asked: "Where am I?"

* * *

Snape sat down in the chair Alex had procured for him in the bedroom. He was left alone with Emma while Alex talked with Maya who had come along with Snape this time.

"Emma, can you hear me?" Snape asked in a calm, soothing voice.

Emma wearily opened her eyes as she looked at Snape and smiled. "The shadow has come to visit me," she joked weakly. "I must be in a bad way. How horrible do I look?"

Snape chuckled as he brushed a strand of sweaty hair from Emma's forehead. "Not half as bad as Alex does," he told her honestly. "Now, could you sit up for me? I need you to take a few potions."

With Snape's help, Emme sat up, a pillow propped behind her back. Snape noted the droplets of blood that stained her sheets and cast a quick _scourgify_ to get rid of them. He then handed her a fever-reducing potion.

"For me?" Emma joked weakly. "You shouldn't have."

"Less babbling and more drinking," Snape reprimanded softly. "I will pour it down your throat myself if I have to."

Emma chuckled and drank the potion, grimacing horribly at the taste. "Couldn't you have added some sugar or something?" she asked wearily. "That stuff is vile."

"I'd rather not go over the intricate details of potion-brewing right now," Snape sighed. "Drink this one next. It's a pain-relieving potion."

"Dare I ask if this will taste better?" Emma asked.

"I'd advise against it," Snape told her honestly. Emma smiled and downed the second potion as well.

"Nope," she said. "This was way worse."

"But it made you feel better, I'd wager," Snape pointed out.

Emma blinked a few times and then looked at Snape in surprise. "Much better," she said. "That was fast!"

She made to get up but Snape gently pushed her back down. "You're not cured, Emma," he told her. "I merely alleviated your pain. Now I need you to drink one more potion. It should serve to keep your organs intact for a while longer."

Emma shuddered but drank the offered vial. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she stared at the empty vial. "What's wrong with me?" she asked.

"You've contracted a magical malady," Snape told her. "I will not lie to you. This disease has no cure as of yet and has proven to be fatal one hundred per cent of the time."

Emma frowned but didn't seem as shocked as she should be. "This is the disease that's in the news every day, isn't it?" she asked. "The one that makes people disappear?"

"It is," Snape confirmed. "But I'm trying my best to create a cure."

Emma smiled as she took hold of Snape's hand. "If _you're_ working on this, I have no doubt that I will be just fine."

Snape scoffed but said nothing.

"But just in case that I won't be," Emma said softly, squeezing Snape's hand, "could you take care of Alex for me? Charlie will be fine with my parents but Alex… he's not good at handling a loss."

Snape swallowed thickly as he gazed at the severely ill woman. "If it comes to that," he said, "I will. But I won't have you worrying about things that are most likely not going to happen. I will make this work."

"Of course you will, Severus," Emma said. "But if you can't, I forbid you from blaming yourself."

"Emma –"

"I would very much like to sleep now," Emma told Snape. "If there's nothing else, could you let me be, please?"

Snape sighed and gathered his supplies with a flick of his wand. "As you wish," he said. "Try and get some rest. I'll be back for you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Severus," Emma said groggily as she pulled the covers closer to her chin. Snape quietly left the bedroom and headed into the sitting room where Maya and Alex were waiting for him.

"How is she?" Maya asked. "Is it the –"

"It is," Snape told her honestly. Maya let out a shuddering breath and sank back into the couch.

"No," she pleaded. "It can't be."

Alex didn't respond. He was leaning forward, his hands clasped and hanging limply between his knees as he stared at the coffee table. Snape set down his potions kit just a tad too harshly in order to shake Alex from his less-than-helpful reveries. It worked as Alex looked up and glared at Snape.

"If you could kindly pay attention, Alexander," Snape told him. "These are the potions Emma will need to take twice a day. Give her this one – he motioned towards the fever-reducer – first and give her these two after."

Snape knew that he wasn't exactly exuding comfort right now but he really needed Alex to understand what he was supposed to do. Slipping into his professional demeanour was not only a means to that end, but it was also a comfort for Snape himself, who was watching one of his friends waste away before his eyes.

"Thank you," Alex said. "What will you do now?"

"I will retreat into my lab and start working on finding a cure," Snape said. He then directed his attention at Maya. "Will you stay with him?" he asked. "Make sure that he eats and sleeps? Emma can eat as well but I would recommend lukewarm foods only. Preferably liquids."

"Of course, Sev," Maya said. "But do remember to eat something yourself, okay?"

Snape huffed but smiled when he saw Maya's concerned gaze. "Don't worry," he said. "I will instruct Zippy to bring me meals at the appropriate times. You should just worry about your family."

Maya grabbed his hand for just an instance as she placed a chaste kiss on Snape's lips. "I am," she said meaningfully. Snape just nodded and retreated out of the front door. Acutely aware of the three people depending on him, he hurried back home.

* * *

When Harry had returned to finish his batch of fever-reducers, John had made no comment about the time it had taken him to come back. Harry had added two more cauldrons to his batch in order for him to try and catch up and was finding that it took little extra effort to do so.

After a few hours of working in silence, John spoke up.

"What's on yer mind, lad," he asked. "Ye've been very quiet since ye got back. Auld Lovegood dinnae sack you, did he?"

"No," Harry said. "In fact, he told me that I can brew with multiple cauldrons at once."

"Then what's got ye so melancholic?" John asked as he continued stirring his own brew. Harry wasn't even sure what the man was making today.

"I was wondering why there are next to no potions that can cure mental illnesses," Harry said.

John shrugged. "Our folk dinnae put much stock in the mental capacities of the ill," he said. "The mind is very difficult ter mend as well, ya ken? Much easier to deal with lacerations and the like."

"But a sick mind is far more crippling than a crippled leg," Harry argued.

"Aye," John said. "Tis as ye say. But tis of no difference, I'm afraid."

Harry huffed. "Well, I think I know exactly what my next research project will be."

John barked a laugh. "And when will ye seek to do that, laddie?" he asked. "Lovegood's got us both working practically non-stop. Yer aff yer heid if ye think ye can fit more brewin' into yer day."

"I'll make it work," Harry said confidently. "There's plenty of potions that can help me achieve my goal."

"Aye, but don't go an' get yerself into trouble, ye hear?" John said. "I'd find myself rather lonely without ye here."

Harry chuckled. "I'm sure you would do fine without me," he said. "But don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"So ye always say," John said, shaking his head.

In the next few weeks, Harry put in even more hours than he already was. Sometimes, he didn't even come home to sleep anymore, simply transfiguring a cauldron into a bed of sorts to sleep in for a few hours. He didn't even eat his lunch outside of the lab anymore. Instead, he would have a house-elf bring him something to eat which he would eat while brewing and researching. Without even noticing it, his birthday had come and gone. No owls could reach him where he was now and Hedwig was not allowed in the St Mungo's laboratory so she just stayed at Spinner's End.

Snape hadn't sent Harry very many messages anymore other than the occasional. '_How is everything?_' and '_I hope you're taking care of yourself'_. Harry had always replied with short and to the point answers but it was enough to know that someone cared. He didn't even mind that he was no longer socializing with other people at the moment because right now, people were depending on him and he couldn't let them down.

Little did Harry know that Snape was in just such a predicament in which he was getting more and more desperate as time kept ticking away mercilessly. Every day, he was fighting to keep death at arm's length and every day, he was feeling as if he was succeeding less and less.

Harry threw in the petals of the pansy flowers into his brew, quite certain that he made a breakthrough in the restorative memory draught he was creating when a piece of parchment appeared in front of his nose at the exact moment that one appeared in front of John's. Harry put a stasis on his cauldron and read the parchment.

_Urgent staff meeting planned at 16:30.  
Location: The second-floor meeting room.  
Attendance is mandatory.  
_

It wasn't signed but there was only one person that could call for a general staff meeting and that was chief Lovegood.

"What d'you reckon' the auld dodger wants now?" John asked Harry.

"Maybe it has something to do with the cure?" he offered. "Maybe he made a breakthrough or something?" He really hoped that was the case. It would severely decrease his workload and give him more time to try and help Draco.

At 16:28 Harry found himself in the required room with barely a minute to spare. And even then, he was contemplating how he would have been able to put that minute to good use. He was scribbling away any thoughts and ideas about the memory restorative draught he was trying to come up with on a spare bit of parchment, barely even noticing when Caratacus Lovegood walked in.

The room had been flooded by not only potioneers but also healers, nurses and even the janitors of the hospital. When Lovegood spoke, everyone looked up.

"You are probably all wondering why I have summoned you here," Lovegood said. "I'd rather not beat around the bush and keep you all from your work. I am not able to find a cure."

A stumped silence was Lovegood's only response so he just continued speaking. "I have tried to find something to counteract this disease for months now but am entirely unable to do so. Nothing is working and people are dying."

Lovegood's expert eye gazed at the crowd gathered in the room, hanging on his every word.

"Therefore I have summoned you here to ask for your help," he said. "Anyone who thinks that they can create a cure – I don't care if they are an accomplished healer or a janitor with hidden talents – will be rewarded by me. I will award you a sum of five-hundred-thousand galleons, coming out of my own pocket to the one who can present me with a cure. If you need the time to do so, please take it. We need to rally as one group in order for us to beat this thing. I am counting on you. You are excused."

The crowd broke into excited murmurs and conversation but Harry didn't want to discuss this with anyone. He just wanted to get back to his lab and continue brewing. If only the gods could be that merciful.

"Mr Potter, a word," Lovegood called after him.

Harry froze in his tracks, momentarily wondering if he could get away with pretending that he didn't hear Lovegood in the first place, but decided against it and turned around. "Sir?"

"I have a few more things to discuss with you," Lovegood said. "Stay for a moment."

"I really should get back to work, sir," Harry said.

"This will only take a moment," Lovegood told him. Harry sighed and sat down in a chair that had previously been occupied.

"It has come to my attention that you are no longer eating in the courtyard," Lovegood said. "You also rarely leave the hospital to go home anymore. You do with very little sleep and keep brewing. It's all we can do to keep replenishing the stocks of ingredients at this rate."

"I'm merely doing what is required of me," Harry said.

"I am the first one to compliment hard work," Lovegood said. "But what you're doing is not healthy. If the circumstances were any different, I would force you to take a week off."

"But the circumstances are _not_ different," Harry told him. "This is what you need me to do right now."

"The additional research you have taken on is entirely unnecessary," Lovegood pointed out dryly.

Harry swallowed thickly. "I'm still meeting my quota, aren't I?" he said softly.

Lovegood sighed. "That is beside the point, Harry," he said. Harry blinked in surprise at the use of his given name. "You are on the brink of self-destruction and I will not have a promising potioneer do this to himself."

"I _need_ to do this," Harry replied evenly, beyond all common sense.

"Like Master, like apprentice," Lovegood sighed. "Harry, I need you to focus on a cure for now. Your workload will be lessened for a while so you can do this. I urge you to put your personal research aside for now and pick it up later."

"But I –"

"When a cure is found, you will have much more time on your hands. I will even offer you my assistance in whatever it is you're trying to do. But please. I need your mind on this problem."

Harry stood there, silently contemplating Lovegood's words for a while before sighing in resignation. "I will do what I can," he said. "And I'll put aside my research for now." Harry just hoped that Draco would be able to last just a bit longer without his help. The boy had looked on the verge of collapse the last time he saw him and yet he had insisted on taking his mother home.

"I knew I could count on you," Lovegood said. "Now let's get to it. We haven't the time to dilly-dally."

* * *

_Desperate times call for desperate measures._  
_I realize that it's New Year's Eve so I'll do what I did during the Christmas holidays and wait and see if I get any response. If people don't read this, I won't update on Wednesday. But I'll defenitely update on Thursday._

_Let me know what you think! Happy New Year!_


	42. Chapter 42

_Wow! I am blown away by your responses! I think only the last chapter op TPA has gotten more reviews than this chapter did, and that defenitely didn't happen overnight. You guys are the absolute best and I love you for it. A big thank you to all the guest reviews as well. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to you but you guys rule!_

_As to you-know-who who made me chuckle... nice try but you get one chapter a day. I _will _fight you!_

_Enjoy this next chapter. You all deserve it! It's a tad early because I need to go to yet another party... *groan* ... but that's alright._

* * *

**Chapter 42**

About a week had passed since Snape had found out about Emma's condition and he had been spending every waking moment trying to develop a cure for '_The dissolving sweats'_. Unbeknownst to him, Harry had been doing the exact same thing back in St Mungo's but neither of them was having any luck.

When Snape tried to add some valerian root to his current attempt for an antidote, Hedwig screeched at him.

"Keep that beak in check, you ruddy bird," Snape snarled. Hedwig clicked her beak disapprovingly.

"Don't you think that I'm aware that this is a longshot?" Snape asked. "Because I am. But if it has escaped your notice, I'm running out of – oh Merlin, I am speaking to an owl."

Hedwig hooted softly but Snape merely glared at her and tossed in his valerian root. "If you don't refrain from giving me your unwanted advice, I shall confine you to Harry's quarters. Am I understood?"

Hedwig just glared haughtily at the Potions Master as if to say '_I'd like to see you try'_. Snape ignored her and was about to toss in his crumpled St John's wort leaves when a pop brought him out of his focus.

"It's lunchtime, Master Snape," Zippy said dutifully.

"I'll just eat some more at dinner time, Zippy," Snape replied without even turning away from his cauldron.

"That won't do, Master," Zippy said. "Mistress Bell asked Zippy to make sure that you ate every meal."

Snape groaned. "_I_ am your master, Zippy, not her," he reminded the little house-elf. "And I'm telling you to leave it for now."

"Zippy is sorry, Master," Zippy said. "But Zippy must insist. Zippy wouldn't want to make Mistress Bell sad."

After a moment of silence, Snape sighed. "Fine," he said. "I acquiesce. Just bring me a bowl of soup if you will and I'll eat it here."

"Oh no, no, no," Zippy said. "Master mustn't eat where Master works. Mistress Bell asked me to see to it."

Snape grumbled something incoherently before moving past Zippy and hurrying up the stairs in undignified defeat. Hedwig tucked her head under her wing as she awaited Snape's return while Zippy simply popped into the dining room, taking care of Snape's bowl of soup.

When Snape sat down, fidgeting with a napkin as he waited, he noticed a letter sitting on the table. Zippy must have accepted it while Snape was downstairs. When he turned it over, he noticed that it carried the seal of St Mungo's. Frowning, he opened it.

_For the eyes of Master Severus Snape only._

_Severus,_

_I am contacting you in regards to your apprentice Harry Potter._

_He is a diligent young man that does his very best to prepare whatever potions we ask of him and other than the incident we had a few weeks back, Mr Potter has made sure to fall in line and do as we have asked of him._

Snape frowned. He didn't know what the letter was referring to and he wondered what kind of trouble the stubborn Gryffindor had brought upon himself this time.

_I am starting to worry for him, though. You may have noticed that he comes home less and less of late. He tends to sleep in the laboratory where he also eats. He rarely comes out anymore save to take care of his personal needs and even those he tries to keep in check as much as possible._

_I've already talked to him once but he only seems to be burying himself in his work more and more. And while we appreciate the steady flow of potions that we can understandably use, it won't do to have the young man collapse on us when we need him the most._

_Therefore, I wish to urge you to summon him home for the remainder of the day and if necessary tomorrow as well. We can make do without him for that long at least. This is not a punishment but rather a preventive measure._

_I'm sure you understand seeing how you can get lost in your creations as well._

_I hope you will take action soon._

_Master Caratacus Lovegood._

By now, a bowl of soup had appeared in front of Snape and was sitting, waiting for him. Snape contemplated the letter as he stared at the wisps of damp coming from the bowl. It was true that he hadn't seen much of Harry of late but he hadn't paid too much attention to it. He now found that he really should have.

He knew what Harry was like and he realized that Lovegood was right. In fact, if _Lovegood_ had become concerned, Harry must really be taking it too far. So Snape used the cuff to contact Harry directly.

'_You are to come home immediately. You may resume your internship the day after tomorrow_.'

Snape ate a few spoonful's of soup before he received a reply.

'_Can't. Busy._'

Snape growled and wrote back. '_This is not up for negotiation. Floo back right now or I will come and drag you here.'_

It took a while longer for Harry to reply but the answer was not satisfactory.

'_I'm in the middle of brewing some blood-replenishing potions. I can't.'_

'_That's what stasis spells are for_.' Snape replied.

It took Snape getting through his entire bowl of soup, waiting for a reply and even when he was finished, a reply hadn't come. Nor had Harry flooed back in.

'_Last chance_,' Snape wrote. But no reply came and Snape grumpily stalked over to his fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder and tossed it angrily into the flames speaking as clearly as he could: "St Mungo's."

* * *

Harry had taken off the distracting cuff and left it on the long table in the middle of the lab. It was strange, but after such a long time of constantly wearing that thing, his arm felt oddly naked without it. But Snape was starting to become annoying and Harry could not afford any distractions right now.

He was brewing a batch of blood-replenishing potions and was moving from cauldron to cauldron as he added as required and stirred what needed to be stirred. In the few rare moments in which all cauldrons were simmering peacefully, Harry took to thinking on the theory of a cure. He had tried brewing something several times already but never had his brew been potent enough to cure this horrendous disease. And the longer it took him, the more people died.

Harry shook his weary head and cleared it of all negativity by means of Occlumency. If he hadn't mastered the arts of the mind before, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to handle the stress of this particular internship. He realized that the stress was largely caused by the uprising of the dissolving sweats but he still couldn't help but wonder how other internships were compared to this one. Much more easy-going, he would wager.

"Harry, lad," John said. "It's about time ye ate somethin', innit?" he asked. "Ye didnae eat breakfast either."

"Not hungry," Harry mumbled as he continued taking notes. One of his cauldrons lit up and Harry walked over to it to give it another stir.

"Ye're a long time deid, ye ken," John said.

"Hm," Harry responded. Sometimes, he didn't even recognise what John was saying and he just found that smiling and nodding worked best.

Since his potions were all behaving again, Harry went back to taking notes, wondering just why the valerian root didn't work as intended in his previous batch. It was at that moment that the door to his lab opened. Choosing to finish his sentence before acknowledging whoever was here to pick up more potions, he scribbled away, only barely noticing the flurry of black in the corner of his eye.

Suddenly, the quill he was writing with was ripped out of his hand, leaving an ugly blot on his notes. Exasperated, he looked up only to find his father standing in front of him. The only sound he managed to produce at this revelation was less than intelligible. "Oh."

"We're leaving," Snape told Harry, giving him no room to argue.

"I told you I can't," Harry tried anyway.

"Ah think yer master is right, lad," John piped up. Harry shot him a look of betrayal. "An' dinnae ye look at me like tha'. Yer ken tha' ye cannae keep workin' like this."

Snape shot a look at John that was clearly supposed to keep the man from interfering and so he did.

"These blood-replenishing potions won't brew themselves," Harry told Snape, pretending he hadn't heard John.

"I'm certain that Master Lovegood is able to procure another brewer to finish your potions for you."

"He won't allow this, you know," Harry said angrily.

"On the contrary," Snape told Harry easily. "He asked me to come and get you before you wear yourself out completely."

Harry looked at Snape in shock, his mouth agape as if he were a fish on dry land.

"Now, if you'll stop trying to talk your way out of this and come with me quietly, there won't be any trouble."

"But I –" Harry glanced at his cauldrons longingly.

"Ah can finish yer brews for ye," John offered. "Ah am not as good as yer, but ah'll manage."

With a sigh of defeat, Harry nodded. He gathered his papers, thinking that he might at the very least be allowed to do some research at home, and put them in his pocket. Snape frowned but said nothing. Instead, he turned around and started walking at a rather brusque pace that reminded Harry of all the times he had had to jog to keep up with the Potions Master at Hogwarts. Nowadays though, all Harry had to do was quicken his pace to keep up.

Feeling embarrassed that he would have to be escorted home by his father, Harry kept his head down while he followed Snape, not once looking up until they reached the fireplace.

"You shall go first," Snape said. "And if you don't floo home, your punishment will be severe."

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Where did Snape think Harry was planning to go anyways? He grabbed a handful of floo powder, tossed it in the fireplace and called out his destination. A few seconds later, he stumbled out of the hearth, couching as he had inhaled some of the soot.

He scurried out of the way just in time for Snape to come out as well, not a speck of dust on him or his billowing robes. His eyes were stern but if Harry had been less exhausted, he would have noticed the concern that was present as well.

"First of all, go take a shower," Snape said.

Harry glared at him with all the force he could muster. "You dragged me home so I could take a shower?" he asked incredulously. "They have showers at St Mungo's, you know."

"Facilities you have clearly not taken advantage of in a while now," Snape countered coolly. "Go shower now, unless you want me to come with you and scrub you clean myself."

Harry felt his cheeks colour red in embarrassment and hurriedly climbed the stairs, making sure to stomp loudly with each step he took. He knew that he was behaving in a childish manner, but he was tired. And he didn't want to argue about any of this.

Muttering to himself, he slammed the bathroom door, undressed and hopped into the shower.

By the time he got out, he noticed that his clothes had vanished and new ones had been laid out in their place. Harry wagered that Zippy had something to do with that. A part of him wanted to be difficult but seeing how he didn't have any other options, he got dressed in the provided garments.

When he was done, he walked back downstairs – not stomping his feet this time – and halted when he saw Snape sit by the fire, reading through what looked like his own notes.

"How did you get those?" Harry asked in annoyance.

"Magic," Snape replied absentmindedly. "Take a seat, please."

Harry complied and sat down, noticing that a plate of sandwiches and fruit had been left on the coffee table.

"Subtle," Harry muttered but he grabbed a sandwich with cheese anyway.

Snape finally looked up and placed Harry's research on the table, facing it towards Harry. "Have you been researching the creation of a cure?" he asked.

"Obviously," Harry snarled, belatedly realizing that he really _was_ sleep-deprived if he dared speak to Snape in such a tone.

"Speak to me like that again and you will suffer the consequences," Snape warned. Harry clamped his mouth shut but nodded his compliance.

"I need to speak to you in regards to a few things," Snape said. "First of all, the obvious. You are not taking care of yourself."

"But I -"

"I'm not finished," Snape said coldly. "You have not been eating, sleeping or even bathing on a regular schedule. You may think that helps the patients at the hospital but in the long run, it will only prove to be detrimental to their cause when you collapse. I am quite aware of the lack of brewers St Mungo's currently faces and I know they can't do without you for a while -"

"Then why take me out of there?" Harry accused.

"You're not listening!" Snape snarled, slamming his flat hand on top of the table, nearly spilling Harry's tea. "You're destroying yourself at this rate. And if you do, who will be better for it in the end?"

Harry glared but did not speak.

"I know you can see reason," Snape then said. "And I know that you're merely trying to help. It is very admirable for you to put forth so much effort for the sake of others. But that quality brings the risk of overexertion and I can clearly see that you're nearly there."

"I'm fine," Harry said evenly.

Snape's eye twitched dangerously as he clutched his mug so tightly, Harry wondered if he was resisting the urge to throw it.

"You are truly making me hate that particular phrase," Snape growled. "When it comes from you, it is never truthful and always an attempt to deflect. You are not _fine_. Any dunderhead could see it. Just look at yourself."

"What am I supposed to do?" Harry asked harshly. "People are dying every single day! And while they are dying, they're suffering tremendously. Lovegood can't find a cure so he's become so desperate to ask everyone – including the bloody janitors – to try and brew a cure. Not only that! But I see Draco showing up in the hospital because his mother had a bout of accidental magic –"

"Narcissa was in the hospital?" Snape asked in concern. Harry stopped his angry tirade and glanced at his father. He sighed when he realized that he should have informed him earlier.

"She was," Harry confirmed. "Some time ago. But she's gone home already. Draco is really suffering, though."

Snape sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Draco is not your responsibility, Harry," he said. "Nor is finding a cure. This disease is particularly difficult to overcome. It's almost as if the source of the disease has closed off all paths that any medical ingredients would normally take."

Harry scoffed. "I'll say. This is bloody impossible," he said angrily. "But hang on. Do you mean to say that you've also been working on a cure?"

"I am," Snape said honestly.

"Why?" Harry asked, sensing that something was off. "Did Lovegood ask you to?"

"He did not," Snape replied.

"Then why did you suddenly develop an interest?" Harry asked sharply. "Who is in trouble? Is it Dudley? Did he send you another letter?"

"Of course not," Snape replied harshly. "Calm down."

Harry shot out of his chair and glared at Snape. "Tell me what's wrong!" he shouted.

"Sit. Down," Snape ordered. His tone reminded Harry of Hogwarts so much that he complied. He sat back down and seemed to shrink back into himself for a moment, realizing that he was attacking someone who was on his side.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I'm just –"

"Tired, I'd wager," Snape told him. "You will be going to sleep for a few hours. After that, we can talk some more over dinner."

"But I still need to –"

"There's nothing for you to do," Snape said in a calming voice. "For now, I merely need you to rest up a bit. Perhaps we can compare our research later when you're able to think more clearly."

"Yes, sir," Harry finally complied. Now that he wasn't present on the battleground that was St mungo's, practically brewing non-stop, he could feel the weariness of the last months wash over him, nearly dragging him down. He wanted nothing more but to go to sleep. So he went up to his bedroom, collapsed onto his bed and drifted off almost immediately.

* * *

When Harry woke up again, he felt more rested. He could have easily gone back to sleep if he had wanted to, but he could smell the scent of food wafting up the stairs and thought that it would be nice to eat a warm meal again. So he crept out of his bedroom and came down the stairs when he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"She hardly ate anything today," Maya said softly. "I don't think she has that much longer, Severus."

"I'm sorry," Snape replied. "But I won't give up. Not yet. Here-"

Harry could hear the familiar sound of vials clanking together and he imagined that Snape handed Maya some.

"These are her supplies for tomorrow," Snape said. "Make sure that she takes them, even if she won't take anything else."

Harry thought he could hear someone sob and though that it was wildly inappropriate for him to keep listening. So he came down the rest of the stairs, making an effort to try and produce a loud enough sound to be heard but not loud enough to be suspicious.

When he arrived downstairs, he could see Maya withdrawing from Snape's arms as the man looked at her with concern.

"Don't give up," he told her. "It's not over until it's over."

"Thank you, Severus," Maya said but her voice sounded blank. "Oh hi, Harry," she added. "It's good to see you home."

"Hi, Professor Bell," Harry greeted.

"I told you to call me Maya," Maya told Harry with a smile. But Harry could see the tell-tale glistening in her eyes.

"I'll be off now," Maya then said. "I'll see you two later." And without waiting for a reply, she all but stormed out the front door.

"Dinner time," Snape told Harry as if none of that had just happened. He walked over to the dining room table and took his customary seat, waiting for Harry to do the same.

"Is Emma sick?" Harry asked as he sat down.

Snape sighed and steepled his fingers. "She is," he admitted.

"Is it the dissolving sweats?" Harry asked rather unnecessary. Snape just nodded. Harry groaned painfully and buried his face in his hands. "How is Alex doing?" Harry asked, his voice muffled by his hands.

"As well as could be anticipated," Snape replied. "He's taking care of Emma to the best of his abilities."

Harry looked up sharply and shot Snape an incredulous look. "Hold on," he said. "You're telling me that Alex is with Emma right now? And you didn't think that a bit dangerous?"

"Harry –"

"This disease is highly contagious!" Harry shouted. "How long has Emma been sick? It will probably be days before Alex becomes ill as well. And what about Charlie? Has he been allowed to stay near Emma as well?"

"Charlie is with his grandparents," Snape said. "And Alex wouldn't leave Emma's bedside. In fact, he had been tending to her for quite a while by the time I found out anything was wrong. He hasn't gotten sick yet."

Harry sighed in relief. "That's good news at least," Harry said. "But why isn't he getting sick?"

Snape frowned as he took in Harry's comment, tapping his finger against his upper lip in thought. "That –" Snape said, " – is an excellent question."

"What have you tried so far?" Harry asked, absentmindedly plating his food that was roast with potatoes.

"Have a look," Snape said. He passed a thick looking tome in Harry's direction. A narrow strip of cloth was trapped between a few pages to indicate where Snape had left off. The cover of the book was an emerald green with intricate details and pictures of ancient runes added in relief to the thick leather. Harry opened the book at the last additions.

"This is your grimoire?" Harry asked.

"Obviously," Snape said evenly.

Harry looked at the pages where Snape had written down the recipes he had already tried as well as the ones he was still planning on trying in the near future.

"Don't try this one," Harry said, pointing to what Snape was going to brew next. "It does nothing but cause shallow breathing. This next one doesn't work; this won't work either…" Harry continued skimming the pages. "I haven't tried this one yet but the one below that has disastrous results. Definitely don't try that one, ever."

"Have you attempted using chamomile yet?" Snape asked.

Harry groaned. "You would think that something so simple and common would at least do no harm, wouldn't you?" he said. "But I tried it and it has a very adverse reaction to someone with the disease. It's almost as if it was created with the intention to react nastily to all logical solutions."

"It probably was," Snape sighed.

"What?" Harry asked.

"I believe I told you my suspicions before," Snape told Harry, refilling his glass of wine. "I firmly believe that Rookwood is behind all of this. If there's anything he likes to do, it's to test his new creations be it on muggles or purebloods alike."

"All the victims are muggles, though," Harry pointed out.

"They are," Snape replied. "Perhaps he tested this disease on wizards as well, only to realize that it had no effect. The Dark Lord would have commended him for such an epidemic, for sure."

"But the Dark Lord is gone," Harry said.

"Rookwood will always be a man of science," Snape said. "The problem is that he has no ethical boundaries and is therefore very dangerous. He's also quite intelligent. He knows how to hide away and how not to get caught. Remember, to the populace, this disease seems completely natural. Only a few people suspect there to be foul play in the mix. Therefore, no Aurors are chasing him down beyond keeping an eye out for all loose death eaters."

"But what does he want?" Harry asked.

"_That's_ the problem," Snape said, pointing his fork at Harry. "There's nothing in particular that he wants. He merely wants to work in peace and create as well as destroy what he can. He doesn't care for fame, money or glory. All he cares about is opportunities and how to grab them."

"So, how can we find him?" Harry growled.

"I'm not sure, Harry," Snape said wearily. "And right now, it doesn't matter. The disease is spreading, whether my theory is correct or not. Finding the madman behind it comes second to finding a cure and we can't do both."

"We?" Harry asked.

"Since' we're both apparently working on this thing, we might as well join forces," Snape said logically. "I think it would be nice to work together on this."

"Can we start now?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Absolutely not," Snape reprimanded. "For the rest of the day, you will rest. I will feed you dreamless sleep if I have to."

Harry made a face. "It's still early."

"Tomorrow, you may work with me," Snape told Harry. "But I require your mind to be fresh and awake."

"Fine," Harry said. "But then you should go to sleep at a decent time as well."

"Pardon?" Snape asked.

"You reprimand me just fine," Harry pointed out. "But you look like you haven't gotten all that much sleep lately, either."

For a moment, Snape seemed taken aback but then he smiled. "As you say, apprentice," he said. "Tomorrow then. Bright and early."

"As the sun rises," Harry sighed.

* * *

_I know some of you have been dying for some more interaction between our two protagonists so here it is! I hope it satisfies you until tomorrow. Please don't forget to leave me a review. Five more chapters to come!_


	43. Chapter 43

_You guys are the best! I know that many of you have been speculating about the cure and its origins. This chapter will have most of the answers. I hope you'll all be pleased with the results. Thanks for all your reviews! The same to the guests I couldn't reply to. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 43**

Both Snape and Harry had turned in rather early, both eager to get started on their collaboration but not wanting to break their promise to the other.

If Harry was entirely honest with himself, he needed this. He needed to get a full night's rest as much as he needed that large breakfast spread he woke up to the next morning.

It was barely the crack of dawn but Harry hadn't felt as well-rested in a long time. Snape was already up and sitting at the breakfast table, feeding Hedwig some bacon strips. When he saw Harry, he motioned for the boy to take a seat next to him. Harry complied easily and hungrily stacked his plate with pancakes.

"Good morning, Harry," Snape said as he helped himself to some more healthy choices like toast and fruits.

"Good morning, dad. Good morning, Hedwig," Harry replied. Hedwig hopped over and nipped Harry's finger affectionately. Harry stroked her feathers, smiling as he reconnected to his familiar.

"Have you been helping Severus in the lab, girl?" he asked her. Hedwig ruffled her feathers angrily and hooted once. Harry frowned at Snape.

"I didn't normally take her advice," Snape said easily as he sipped his tea. "Your owl seems to believe that she knows potions better than I do." Hedwig hooted again but looked away. Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

At that moment, there was a tapping sound at the window and Snape got up to allow the two awaiting owls entry. One of them carried with him the daily prophet. Snape paid the owl to receive the paper and it was off again without even waiting for some food or water. The second owl, however, flew over to Harry's chair, landed on top of it – much to Hedwig's dismay – and extended its foot.

"And who do you belong to?" Harry asked the Ural owl that simply hooted in reply. Harry had never seen one in real life before. He accepted the letter and offered the owl some of his breakfast. There was plenty to go around anyway. Hedwig fluffed her feathers as she stared menacingly at the newcomer but the Ural simply ignored her as it dunked its beak into a bowl of water.

The letter was sealed by a wax sign of a black eagle perching in an oak tree. Not knowing what this meant, Harry opened the letter and read the contents. 

_Esteemed potioneer Harry Potter,_

_We contact you in regards to the Magic Muggle Potion you have invented a few months ago. We were quite intrigued, reading about it in the practical potioneer but still have many questions regarding the concoction. Therefore, we would like to request a meeting with you at a time that suits you._

_As we understand it, you are naturally quite busy at the moment but if you could kindly fit us into your schedule somewhere in the near future, that would be most agreeable._

_H. Spilogaster_

_The German guild of theoretical and practical potioneering and alchemical solutions._

Harry practically rolled his eyes at the letter. He did not want to get into this right now.

"Who sent it?" Snape asked, his eyes not leaving the daily prophet.

"The potioneer guild in Germany," Harry replied sounding absolutely bored. "They want to meet about the Magic Muggle potion as if I have the –"

Snape looked up from the prophet as he regarded Harry. The boy was holding the parchment mid-crumple but had frozen his movements. "Harry?"

"I am an idiot," Harry mumbled.

"What makes you say that?" Snape asked, intrigued.

"The Magic Muggle potion!" Harry all but shouted. "Don't you see? _That's_ why Alex didn't get sick yet! _That_ could be the catalyst to curing this disease!"

Snape groaned and slapped himself on the forehead. "It's painfully obvious when you say it like that," he said. "Merlin, how could I have been so blind? The illness has no effect on wizard folk. The potion must have reacted with his innate magic enough to give him the same protection!"

"Sleep-deprivation got us both, it would seem," Harry said. "Let's go brew it right away."

"Of course," Snape agreed. Harry sent off the Ural owl without a reply and hurried down the stairs to the potions lab, following closely behind Snape. Before they could close the door, Hedwig flew in as well and casually landed on her perch, looking just a tad too pleased with herself.

"You know this potion better than I do," Snape told Harry. "Go ahead and brew it. I will prepare your ingredients."

Harry paused for a moment to stare at Snape incredulously. Did Severus Snape – one of the greatest Potions Masters of his time – just offer to be second violin to Harry's first? Just like that?

"Would you cease your gawking and get started?" Snape admonished. "You just had a breakthrough teetering on the edge of an epiphany. Do something with it." Hedwig hooted her agreement. Harry just snorted and got to work.

He filled his cauldron with water and got the fire started at exactly the right intensity. By the time he had selected the appropriate stirring rod, Snape had already prepared the first ingredients Harry would need.

"If this works, we might need to contact Ms Lovegood about supplying us with more dirigible plums," Snape said as he was slicing one to ribbons.

"If this works," Harry replied, "I'm sure that she would be happy to give us every last one she has."

They brewed together in record time without Hedwig making even one comment. They worked like a well-oiled machine together and even though there was much at stake, Harry had rarely felt as content as he did at that moment. Glancing at Snape a couple of times, he was pretty sure that the man felt the same way. Harry couldn't help but reminisce about his very first Potions class and how disastrous that had gone. He snorted at the thought of _that_ Snape knowing how things would end up.

"It looks as it should," Snape suddenly said. Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when he noticed Snape's close proximity but he was able to hold himself together.

"Yes," he agreed. "This is the Magic Muggle potion. Now we have to see if it will work or not."

"Then I suggest we go, immediately," Snape said, already bottling some of the concoction and putting the rest in a stasis field to tend to later.

They hurried towards Alex's home in silence, ignoring the rays of the sun that were harsh enough to cause the sky to shimmer. Conditions that weren't good for the ill.

They didn't even need to knock. Maya must have seen them coming from afar since she opened the door before they even reached the threshold. Her expression held something akin to both hope and fear.

"You look hopeful," she said in a sort of weary excitement.

"There's no time," Snape told her as he rushed past her. "We'll explain later."

Harry followed Snape, glancing at Maya as he went but she made no attempt to stop them. Instead, she closed the door and rushed over to the sitting room where Alex probably was.

Snape barged into the bedroom as if he owned the place and crouched down at the bed that stood against the wall, facing the window. Harry stepped inside as well and gasped at the sight of Emma. The poor woman, who had been so full of life at Christmas, was now skin and bones. Her eyes were sunken in and her skin had an unhealthy grey tone to it. Her hair had lost all sheen and virility and was now limply framing her face. When she extended her hand in Snape's direction, Harry could see it tremble before Snape grabbed it. And yet, she smiled.

"Hello Severus," she greeted with a hoarse voice. "How kind of you to come and bring Harry along."

"There's no time for chit-chat," Snape said as he uncorked the vial.

"No, there never is with you," Emma chuckled weakly. "What have you brought for me today?"

"Hopefully," Snape replied as he helped Emma to sit up, "a cure."

"That would be lovely," Emma sighed. She was too weak to hold onto the potion itself but Snape lifted it to her lips and helped her drink it until she finished the last drop. He then gave her some water to wash away the taste. Harry noticed that her sheets were flecked with blood but Snape had taken notice as well and had waved his wand to get rid of the substance.

They waited a few minutes to allow the potion to work before Snape took out his wand and cast a diagnostic charm on Emma. Harry stood next to him to read the magically conjured parchment alongside Snape. The results were… not as they would have hoped.

"Don't look so depressed," Emma said kindly. "You did your best."

"This doesn't make sense," Harry insisted. "It worked for Alex. Why wouldn't it-"

"We're close to figuring this out, Emma," Snape said, interrupting Harry. "You'll see us soon. Hang in there, alright?"

"I'll try," Emma said weakly. "But don't wait too long, alright?"

Snape clasped her hand between both of his in a moment of comfort before gently putting it down and motioned for Harry to come with him. Alex and Maya were already waiting for them downstairs. The hope in their expressions broke Harry's heart. He had been sure that this was the solution. And it wasn't. It was enough to drive anyone into desperation.

"Join me in the sitting room," Snape said and he walked in without even waiting for a reply. Maya and Alex exchanged a glance and Harry couldn't help but think that if this could all end well, those two would be closer than ever. Alex might not even call Maya insane anymore.

"What do you want to tell me?" Alex asked in a quivering voice. "Do you want me to stop hoping? Will you tell me that it's too late? That you tried everything? Because I won't accept that!"

Harry noticed that Alex didn't look so good either. He too had clearly lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time. There were dark bags under his eyes and he was constantly fidgeting nervously.

"Alex," Snape said and Harry couldn't help but wonder when exactly Snape had stopped saying 'Alexander'. "We did try everything we could. We thought that we finally had it but it didn't work."

"I can't figure out why though," Harry said, biting his thumb. "If it worked for Alex –"

"What?" Alex asked. "What worked for me?"

Snape sighed as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "The potion you drank in order to fly a broom," Snape told him. "It was probably what made you resistant to the disease in the first place."

Alex jumped up at that. "Then why won't it work on her?"

"It would appear that it works as a preventive measure," Snape explained calmly. "But it doesn't have any healing properties."

"Can't you just add some healing herbs to it?" Alex asked unwittingly.

"It doesn't work like that," Snape explained with a patience he would never show in class. "All potions rely on the perfection of their composition quite heavily. Adding one more ingredient could render the whole thing useless. This is true even more so in this particular potion since it relies heavily on the use of innate magic."

Maya sighed. "It's a shame that we don't know the whereabouts of the staff of Caduceus," she said hopelessly. "The book described it as being able to integrate healing properties into any potion."

"The staff of Hermes?" Harry asked. "Wasn't that just a myth?"

Maya smiled weakly. "If you'll remember the first lesson we had together," she said, "you'll remember that some of those myths were based on truth. Even Pythagoras wielded the staff at some point."

Snape got out of his chair so quickly that it toppled over.

"Severus?" Harry asked. "What's wrong?"

"Maya, you might have just saved your sister's life," Snape said excitedly. "Harry, come along right now."

"But where –"

Snape didn't give Harry any time to finish his sentence. He just grabbed him by the wrist and all but dragged him behind him. Without so much as a farewell or warning, Snape spun on his heel and with a loud crack, the pair of them disapparated.

* * *

The surprise apparition was enough to force Harry onto his knees as soon as they landed. Snape didn't give him the time to recover, though. Instead, he dragged Harry to his feet and led the boy behind him.

"There's no time for that now," Snape said as he took some hasty strides.

Harry leaned on Snape's arm until the world stopped spinning and looked up to see where they were. They had landed right in front of the pyramid that was the base of the potions guild.

"Why are we here?" Harry asked.

"You still didn't figure it out?" Snape asked as he started climbing the steps. "The staff Maya was talking about. The one that's described in the book the Weasley twins procured for me. It's hanging in these very halls!"

"It's _what_?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You were probably too nervous to notice last time, but it's right here. The staff of Caduceus otherwise know as the staff of Hermes. It has been an heirloom to the guild for a very long time, gifted to us by Pythagoras himself."

"And you didn't think to use it before?" Harry asked, already panting as he was climbing the stairs. He wondered why they couldn't just apparate directly to the top. How did all of those old men do this?

"It can't heal diseases by itself," Snape explained, not out of breath in the least. "As Maya said, it can provide healing properties to any potion without disrupting its harmony. Don't you see? This is perfect!"

They reached the top. The door was closed but Snape was able to open it with a mere touch of his palm and a hissed password. The door swung inward with a soft keening and Snape swept inside. Harry followed to see the staff hanging on the wall in plain sight. Right next to a shield that looked like a Gryphon, bracing itself with its wings. Perhaps he _had_ seen it before.

Snape lifted the staff from the wall and Harry half-expected the ceiling to cave in or for boobytraps to spring into action but none of that happened.

"Anyone can just take it?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Anyone that's been anointed in the guild," Snape replied impatiently. "Now come on, there's no time to lose."

Together, they swept out of the guildhall again, climbed down the stony steps and apparated as soon as they could. This time, Harry was prepared and did not falter.

"Won't Lovegood notice it's gone?" Harry asked as they hurried into their house.

"He will have received a notification that I took it right about now," Snape told Harry. "But I'm quite certain that he will be most pleased if this works. Using the staff should not put a dent in that victory. After all, it's what Hermes intended when he created this artefact in the first place."

When they stumbled back into the lab, they inadvertently woke up Hedwig who looked at them with a reprimanding look on her face. She fluffed her feathers but made no sound as she was suddenly distracted by the golden gleam of the staff.

"It is quite fortunate that we decided to leave the rest of the potion for later," Snape said. "Or we would have to brew the whole thing over again."

Harry stood there somewhat forlornly when Snape swivelled to look at him. "Well?" he asked. "What are you waiting for? Draw your alchemical circle."

Harry sprung into action at once, grabbed some of the chalk that was stowed away in the desk and started drawing. Snape was watching him intently but didn't seem to take any action of his own. As if he knew what Harry was thinking, he spoke up.

"You're the one who created the potion," he said. "That's why it has to be you who alters it. If we don't do it like this, the artefact might not respond as we wish it to. And I'd rather not try again simply because we were too hasty."

"Understood," Harry said. When he finished the last intricate rune that was a part of the circle, he got up, removed the stasis that was on the cauldron and accepted the staff from Snape. It was quite heavy and unwieldy. It felt warm to the touch and while they were standing in the containment field, it seemed to want to reach out to the potion.

Harry could see white and golden threads of innate magic coming from the staff and licking the blue threads that exuded from the Magic Muggle potion as if they were nothing but a mist. He could hear the sound of bells and got the vague impression that something was talking to him. Guiding him.

'_Reach out_,' something inside of him said. '_Reach out with your own source and I shall comply._'

Harry looked at Snape to see if the man had heard the same thing he had but he was simply regarding Harry with great interest.

Harry let go of the staff with one hand and tried to focus his innate magic into it, as he had done many times before. Long strips of what seemed to be white ribbons materialised into thin air and Harry used them, nay, guided them to grab hold of the golden tendrils and directed them to come into contact with the blue mist.

He weaved the different magics together as if they were a tapestry that needed completing. He tried to find the natural balance between them and listened as the staff seemed to direct him. It was a draining experience, but one that felt absolutely wholesome. He knew that this was right. And when the potion began to shine with a golden sheen, Harry realized that it was complete. He cut the golden tendrils carefully and allowed them to settle where they were ingrained.

"I think it has been done," Harry told Snape. The man was staring at him with something that resembled awe. It looked entirely foreign on the Potions Master's face.

"There's no time for praise or questions," Harry told Snape evenly, though he felt the quiver of excitement still present in his voice. "We have to get this potion to Emma."

"As you say," Snape said, his gravelly voice grounding Harry once more. "Fill a vial and put a stasis on the rest of it."

"Yes sir," Harry complied. He carefully measured one portion, not spilling a drop in the process, and charmed the vial to keep it from breaking for good measure. He pocketed the potion and raced up the stairs.

"Let's go!" he called unnecessarily because Snape was right behind him. The staff lay forgotten in the lab.

For the second time that day, they raced to Alex's home, the new and improved potion in Harry's pocket. Once more, Maya opened the door before they could even reach the threshold and as before, they raced up the stairs without even acknowledging Maya's presence. This time though, Alex was standing next to her, a hopeful expression on his face as he watched the two potioneers climb the stairs towards his wife.

When they barged in the door, they found Emma still awake, looking at them with eyes that were much too bright, a small trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth.

"Twice in one day?" she asked weakly. "You pamper me too much."

Snape took a handkerchief out of his pocket and used it to gently dab away the blood on Emma's face. He then grabbed the potion Harry handed to him and showed it to Emma1; "Drink this, if you will," he said importantly.

"This better not be poison," Emma chuckled softly.

"Don't play coy right now," Snape growled. "There'll be plenty of time for that later."

"Oh Severus, you always know what to say," Emma said, smiling weakly. But Snape's glare caused her to acquiesce. She allowed Snape to help her sit up and bring the vial to her mouth. The potion was surrounded by a golden sheen that Harry would bet would glow in the dark. As Emma drank, that same golden sheen seemed to envelop her body. Snape had to help her steady the vial as she almost gave up drinking halfway but the Potions Master wouldn't let her.

When the vial was empty to the very last drop, Snape and Harry watched Emma carefully, waiting for that golden glow to disappear. When it finally did, Snape took out his wand and cast the diagnostic spell once more, Harry hovering next to him, as he read the results.

* * *

_And there you have it. I won't say much more at this point. Do let me know what you thought, if you can._  
_Four chapters to go._


	44. Chapter 44

_I'm terribly sorry about the cliffhanger everyone! I really didn't think it was that bad but clearly I was mistaken. It's a good thing that I was still planning on updating today, isn't it? Thank you all for your large amount of reviews! I am shocked but in a good way. Enjoy the next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter 44**

Snape and Harry both stared at the piece of magically produced paper as the results made themselves known. Even when the quill stopped writing, there was a pause in which neither wizard knew what to say. To Harry's mortification, he could feel the onset of tears in his eyes as he looked at the results.

"Another failure is it?" Emma asked. There wasn't even disappointment in her voice and Harry realized that she had lost all hope.

"My apologies, Emma," Snape said plainly. "But for once, you are incorrect. It worked."

"Excuse me?" Emma asked.

"The potion has taken effect nicely," Snape told her again. "There is no more trace of the illness. In fact, some pre-emptive healing has already been done."

"Severus," Emma said, "I know you're new to making jokes, but this is a rather bad time to start with it."

Snape chuckled and sat on the edge of Emma's bed, showing her the parchment.

"Look here," he told her. "These fluctuating values show me that your body had begun its healing process. And the blank space beneath it indicates a lack of foreign intruders. The disease is gone."

"Do you mean –" Emma choked, "- I'm not going to die?"

Snape actually cracked a smile. "You are not," he said kindly. "As long as you manage to stay in bed for another two weeks or so while your body heals. You are still severely weakened and your organs need time to recuperate."

Then, Snape looked at Harry to find him looking a bit shellshocked. "Harry?" he asked carefully.

"It worked?" Harry asked. "It actually worked?"

"The staff of Caduceus is a powerful artefact," Snape explained. "The combination of it with your potion was truly a stroke of genius if I do say so myself."

Harry couldn't help the giant grin that spread on his lips. They made a cure. They really made a cure!

"We have to go tell everyone!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. "Maya and Alex must be worried sick!"

"That would be a fine idea," Snape agreed. "Why don't you call them up here?"

That's exactly what Harry did. He exited the bedroom and positioned himself on top of the stairs. When he looked down, he saw Maya and Alex looking up at him with worry in their eyes.

"Could you two come up here?" Harry asked. "Something important happened!"

Maya and Alex glanced at each other for one moment before they both bounded up the stairs, slipping past Harry as they entered the bedroom.

"What happened?" Alex asked as he hurriedly grabbed Emma's hand. "Is it bad? Oh God, no. Please don't let it be bad. Is it good? Did you make some progress?"

Snape handed Maya the diagnostic parchment with a smile and addressed his best friend. "Alex," he said importantly. "Emma will be fine. We found the cure. It worked."

"It – it did?" Alex stammered. "Do you mean it?"

"Why do people assume that I would make light of a situation such as this?" Snape asked annoyedly. "Yes, I mean it. She simply needs to take the potions I will provide and keep to the bed for another fortnight."

"Severus," Maya then said. Harry noticed that the parchment in her hands was trembling. She glanced between Emma and Snape several times before enthusiastically throwing her arms around Snape's neck and kissing him wildly. "You did it!" she exclaimed. "You really did it!"

"Well," Snape said as he recovered from Maya's attack. "I need to give credit where credit is due. This was actually Harry's creation. All I did was get the staff. Harry did all the work."

"You did?" Maya asked incredulously.

Harry grinned as he held his hands up defensively. "You're welcome," he said, afraid that Maya might assault him much as she had Snape. "It's fine really."

There was no way he could've stopped her short of using magic. Maya threw herself at Harry, embraced him tightly and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You are absolutely brilliant," she told him.

"I learned from the best," Harry pointed out embarrassedly.

"I think it's time we left Emma and Alex in peace," Snape said. "All of this excitement would still be too much for Emma to handle. Besides, I believe that we need to make our way to St Mungo's rather urgently."

"Oh, of course," Harry said. "I can't wait to see the look on chief Lovegood's face."

"Severus," Alex said as he stopped Snape from leaving by grabbing his robes. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I will always be indebted to you after this."

"Think nothing of it," Snape told Alex. "That's what friends are for."

* * *

When Snape and Harry flooed into St Mungo's, it was rather telling how little attention was paid to them. Even with Snape holding a rather obvious staff and Harry being – well – Harry, no one so much as glanced at them as they all hurried about, tending to the needs of the next victim.

"Let's go to chief Lovegood's office," Harry told Snape, already hurrying to make his way there. "He's usually in there nowadays."

Snape followed closely behind his apprentice as they dodged and weaved past nurses and concerned relatives of patients alike.

"I wonder what the practical potioneer will have to say about this," Harry mumbled while they were walking.

Snape snorted. "The practical potioneer? Your face will probably be on the front page of every newspaper in existence."

Harry chuckled. "Nothing I'm not used to, I suppose."

When they reached Lovegood's office, they barged in without even knocking to find the chief hunched over his desk, scribbling away furiously. He did look up when the two potioneers shut the door. His eyes shifted to the staff in Snape's hand and his lips formed into a thin line.

"Severus, Mr Potter," he greeted. "I am eagerly awaiting your explanation for taking one of our most prized artefacts."

"My apprentice used it to create the cure you require," Snape said evenly as if he was describing the weather. "I take it that our measures will be excused once you witness the results?"

Lovegood eyed both younger wizards critically before lowering his gaze to the potion in Harry's hand.

"You are certain?" he asked. "This will work?"

"It will," Harry said confidently. "The effect is instantaneous. Not only that but after taking this potion, the muggle in question will be immune to the disease for the rest of their lives."

"I will believe it when I see it," Lovegood said. He got up from his chair and motioned for the two potioneers to follow him. They did as they were told and noticed that Lovegood was leading them to the medical wing that held all of the diseased muggles they had been able to round up so far.

They looked absolutely miserable. Not only were they clearly suffering because of the disease, but they were also separated from their families and friends, having been practically abducted by people with powers they had never deemed possible.

Harry had noticed that the nurses had tried putting muggles who knew each other together but more often than not, the sick individuals were alone. Some of the patients were mere children. And while they adapted a lot better to the discovery that magic was a real thing, they did not cope with the fact that they were left all alone very well.

The nurses and staff were doing the best they could to appease the frayed nerves of the muggles present, but their words proved to be of little comfort to the suffering mass.

"I assume this portion was measured for an adult?" Lovegood asked.

"Yes," Harry replied as his eyes were still scanning the enormous number of muggles.

They walked to the back of the wing where the oldest and therefore most critical of the patients were stationed.

"Mr Williams," Lovegood said, addressing an elderly looking man who was clearly in a bad way but was still trying his best to glare at his visitors. "We believe that we have produced a cure for your ailments."

"Go pour it down someone else's throat," Mr Williams said gruffly with as much strength as he could muster. "I'm an old man, anyway."

"I assure you that if this works, we will administer the cure to the other patients as well," Lovegood promised. "But since you're by far the most critical of patients, I insist that you drink the potion."

"I don't need your hocus pocus," Mr Williams growled. "I don't believe in any of this. Why won't you just bring me to a _real_ hospital, already?"

"Drink the potion, Mr Williams," Lovegood urged. "I promise you that we're merely trying to help. You would be dead within a day if we brought you to one of your regular hospitals."

The elderly muggle allowed his eyes to roam from Lovegood to Snape – who was looking decidedly disinterested – and Harry, who imagined there was something akin to pity in his eyes.

"Fine," Mr Williams said. "I'll drink it. But just this once."

"Once will suffice," Snape said easily.

The man drank the potion with the help of a pretty nurse and marvelled at the glow that seemed to emanate from his hands as he watched it take effect.

"Interesting," Lovegood said as he watched. When the glow finally subsides, Snape spoke again.

"You can cast your diagnostic charm now, Caratacus," he said. "You'll find that we've spoken the truth."

Lovegood glanced at Snape and Harry one last time before casting the spell and reading the parchment that came into existence. Harry noticed that Mr Williams appeared rather fearful at the sight of the magically conjured item and hoped that the ministry would be able to send enough Aurors here to obliviate everyone when this was all over.

"I can't believe it," Lovegood said after rereading the parchment several times over. "Mr Williams is cured. There is no more trace of the illness."

"I never realized before how much you doubt my word, Caratacus," Snape said. "I believe I should show some kind of dislike in regard to that realisation."

"Oh, would you stop, Severus?" Lovegood snarled. "Even I couldn't make a cure. Forgive me if I was doubtful that a mere apprentice might succeed where I didn't. Are you certain that _you_ had nothing to do with it?"

"All I did was retrieve the staff," Snape said honestly. "The potion is a variant of one Harry has created a while ago. It all makes sense if you think about it."

Lovegood glanced at Mr Williams and the other patients that had grown still and were listening in by now. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion in my office. I assume you have the time?"

"Not too long, though," Harry said. "We need to start brewing a great deal more of the potion. And I doubt there are enough dirigible plums here to brew what we need."

"Yes, my brother is sure to have a large supply of the things simply lying around," Lovegood said. "But, dirigible plums? You simply must explain to me where those come in…"

* * *

The conversation in Lovegood's office had not been about much more than Harry sharing the recipe and explaining where the staff came in and how to ingrain the magic from it. Unfortunately for Lovegood, the creation of this potion required a great deal of skill that could not be expected to be had by any of the interns currently working at St Mungo's, save for Harry, of course.

Not only that, but most of the resident brewers that had been left were not capable of brewing this complicated draught at all. This meant that Snape was briefly enlisted – with the promise of a very nice salary – to assist Harry with brewing the Magic Muggle potion. They were moved into lab nine for this since John would merely get in the way of their alchemical circles. And for a brief instant, even Caratacus Lovegood himself came to assist with the creation of this cure.

The muggles were starting to get better and the ones that were completely cured were brought home by an Auror who obliviated the patient and their families as well as all the concerned parties in the direct vicinity of said muggles to make it seem as if they never left in the first place. Suffice to say that this was an endeavour of epic proportions that not only called for an increase in working hours in every Auror's day but also proved to be quite an expensive endeavour to the ministry of magic that was forced to cover the costs of both the stay of the muggles in St Mungo's as well as their reassertion into their everyday life.

Thus, the minister was forced to increase taxes which was met with much anger and resentment towards the ministry, not only because of the increase in costs but also because of the minister's ineptitude that was the cause of the epidemic in the first place. After all, had they caught all the Death Eater's by now, this would probably never have happened.

Many of the pureblood families were simply upset by the fact that the minister was stepping in to help the muggles in the first place – using their hard-earned money to do so - rather than having them fend for themselves. All in all, the truth was that no one was no longer happy with the man and so, he was forced to resign by the time that most muggles had finally been cured.

That day was a happy day for Harry but it had absolutely nothing to do with the political consequences that went on in the background. After all, he couldn't care less.

No, in fact, he had just finished what would probably be the last batch of the Magic Muggle potion and he was expected in Lovegood's office. Wiping his hands but unable to rid them of all the potion stains he had received here in St Mungo's, he watched the completed potion in the last cauldron he had been brewing in with a forlorn smile. Snape had stopped helping a week ago. After all, he needed to be back at Hogwarts to make his final preparations for the start of the new school year.

It was over. Harry tossed the rag on the long table in the middle of the lab and made his way to Lovegood's office. On his way there, he stuck his head into lab seven. _His_ lab, where John was working on what appeared to be tissue restorative draughts.

"Hello, John," Harry greeted as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Harry," John greeted. He seemed to be somewhat upset.

"Is something the matter?" Harry asked, wondering how anyone could be upset at a time like this.

John sighed and turned around. "It's nothin', lad," he said. "It's simply been no fun fur this auld chap to be brewin' by 'imself, you understand?"

"I'm sorry, John," Harry said. "I didn't mean to leave you here by yourself. But I needed to work with alchemical circles and the wrong kind of influence could have ruined the whole thing."

"Aye lad, ah understand," John replied. "That dinnae mean that ah 'ave ter like it, though."

"You'll see plenty of me starting tomorrow," Harry said. "I'll be back to brewing the regular potions, no doubt. And I still have something else I need to work on, as well."

"Busy as ever, are ye?" John chuckled. "Ah'll be lookin' forward to it, lad."

"Me too," Harry said. "I have to go now. Lovegood asked for me."

"Course he did," John grumbled. "Off ye go then. Go on." He waved a cloth in Harry's direction who waved at the old apprentice and took off.

As he walked towards Lovegood's office, he noticed just how calm the hospital was in regards to a week ago. There were a lot fewer patients and Aurors present now and the most urgent cases were back to being accidental transformations and splicing. Harry never thought he could be so happy to see a nurse fuss over a wizard with a large chunk of his shoulder missing. Trying not to smile too much, he finally entered Lovegood's office who was arranging some papers before tossing them in the bin.

"Ah, Harry," Lovegood greeted jovially. "Take a seat, would you? Did you want a nice cuppa?"

"That sounds lovely," Harry agreed, easily lowering himself into the most comfortable chair Lovegood owned, besides his own. "What did you call me here for, Caratacus?"

Lovegood conjured a teapot, two cups and a tray of biscuits before taking a seat across from Harry and filling Harry's teacup before getting to his own.

"If you'll remember, I offered a reward to anyone who was able to create the cure for this horrible illness," he said, to the point as ever.

"I remember," Harry said smartly. "A large sum of money and your promise that you would help me in creating a potion to cure dementia."

Lovegood sighed. "Is _that_ what you were doing back then? Well, a promise given is a promise kept."

"While I appreciate that you feel this way, I wonder if you were willing to bargain?" Harry asked, adding some honey to his tea.

Lovegood quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "And what is it that you wish to change in our agreement?" he asked. "I thought I was being rather generous."

"Oh, very much so," Harry agreed. "But I find that I do not need such a large sum of money, nor do I want it."

"No?" Lovegood asked, sipping his own tea. "Do tell. There's hardly anything I could refuse you at this point."

Harry grabbed a biscuit before leaning back and meeting Lovegood's gaze with a serious look of his own. "I want your vote in the council," he said matter-of-factly. "I wish to be anointed as a Master and I do believe that I have earned the right, wouldn't you agree?"

Lovegood smirked as he too leaned back. "Are you certain that you're not a Slytherin?" he asked.

Harry leaned forward as if he was about to tell Lovegood a secret and smiled. "Don't tell anyone but I really am. I simply tricked the sorting hat as well as Gryffindor house to think I was a Gryffindor. But I was actually a Slytherin from the start."

Lovegood laughed heartily, spilling droplets of tea as he shook with glee. "My boy, you are simply too much," he said. "But I agree with your proposed change in our contract. I shall put the question of your Mastery to a new vote and recommend you to each and every one of the council members."

"I'm sure that will suffice," Harry said, smiling kindly. "But I would still require your help with the potion."

"By all means," Lovegood said easily. "I would be quite interested to be involved in the process of your creations first-hand."

"Then I suppose we have a deal," Harry said, offering his hand.

Lovegood chuckled and shook it. "You have surprised me, Harry Potter," he said. "At first I thought there was nothing special about you but your name and scar but you have proven yourself many times over."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, feeling himself flush. "That means a lot."

"Now if you could show me what you have come up with so far, I'll happily take a look at your potion with you."

"I hoped you might say that," Harry said. He waved his wand and a few pieces of parchment appeared out of thin air. It was a charm John had taught him at some point when he saw just what a mess his stack of papers was becoming. He grabbed the notes he had made thus far and showed them to Lovegood.

"Before I was forced to quit my experiments, I was thinking of using pansy petals as the catalyst for this potion," he said.

"That makes a lot of sense," Lovegood told him. "Pansy flowers have been known to be good for the memory. Did you consider using shavings of unicorn horn as well?"

"Of course," Harry said. "And I was wondering if I could attempt to use the staff for this potion as well."

"I would gladly lend it to you, Harry," Lovegood said amiably. "But it's a courtesy I will not be granting you too often. Do keep in mind that it's a valuable artefact and heirloom to the guild. Other brewers may have use for it."

"I will make sure not to wear out your patience," Harry chuckled. "I merely wish to use it, just this once."

"You're quite inventive, do you realize that?" Lovegood said as he refilled his cup. "Have you always tackled your duties with such intensity?"

"Not at all," Harry chuckled. "But I did have some madman after me before. And besides, I have someone I want to make proud now."

"Your Master?" Lovegood asked.

"My father," Harry replied, smiling softly.

* * *

_Only three more chapters to go! for those who want a say in the matter, I have three ideas on what to write after I'm done with TPM. I posted the first chapter of each idea on my discord channel with a pol underneath it for people to vote what they would prefer to see next. The link to the discord is on my profile._

_In any case, please do send a review my way. Oh, it pleases me so. *Happy grin*_


	45. Chapter 45

_I know I said I wasn't going to update in the weekends anymore, but you have all been so great with reviewing this last week that I couldn't help myself. So, as a big thank you to everyone, here's the chapter somewhat earlier. You might find it to be a poisoned gift, though..._

* * *

**Chapter 45**

It was impossible to truly recognise what time it was when one was brewing in the St Mungo's laboratories since the torches burnt magically all day long and there was no window to indicate the position of any of the celestial bodies. Therefore, Harry relied solely on the growling of his stomach to indicate just when it was time for lunch, though it was not always accurate.

When another loud growl elicited a chuckle from chief Lovegood, Harry grinned sheepishly. "Perhaps it's time for us to get some lunch?" he asked slyly.

"A fine idea," Lovegood said. "Our minds don't work all that well on an empty stomach."

"Do you want to join us, John?" Harry asked politely.

"Nay, Harry," John replied. "Ah wouldn't dream of getting' in the way of yer complicated discussions. Ye'd best get on without me."

"If you say so," Harry said, shaking his head bemusedly. Come to think of it, he had never seen John eat in the upper levels before. He always stayed downstairs, eating what little food he brought. Despite his outgoing nature towards Harry, the man really did seem to appreciate his solitude. Harry could respect that.

As they sat in the courtyard, the two potioneers couldn't help but discuss the project they were currently working on. And even though Harry knew that he had roped Lovegood into doing this with some Slytherin tactics of sorts, he could tell that the older Master was actually enjoying himself. He imagined that it was a rather welcome distraction from the normal office work he normally had to do.

"I think that we should try adding some tears of Mnemosyne," Harry said as he munched on a piece of toast. "I know what you're going to say. It's too expensive. But I honestly couldn't care less."

"Harry, we've been over this –"

"So, St Mungo's won't fund any potions to do with mental illness. I get it. But I could at least pay for the ingredient myself."

"Why are you so insistent on creating this potion?" Lovegood asked. "You never did tell me what sparked your sudden interest. Is it because of someone in the family?"

"Not family," Harry said. "It's to help one of my friends."

"You know, Harry, it's not a good idea to allow your personal feelings to guide your progress," Lovegood said importantly though he looked less so with jam on his cheek.

Harry snorted. "It's how I've made my best creations," he said, "The cure to the dissolving sweats being one of them."

Lovegood sighed. "Severus did warn me that you tend to give your emotions free rein," he said.

Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. "As much as I appreciate you two discussing the subject of me, I assure you that he worries too much."

"A young man like yourself needs to be worried about," Lovegood said, buttering a new piece of toast. "Otherwise, you'll run yourself ragged."

"If it's to help my friends, I'll do anything," Harry said easily. "Besides, I _have_ been taking it easier. Look, I'm eating." As if to demonstrate, he shoved just a few too many apple slices into his mouth and started chewing vigorously in annoyance with himself.

Lovegood chuckled. "So I've noticed," he said. "So, about those tears. If you truly think that they will help your progress, I will order them immediately."

"I'll pay you back, sir," Harry said after he swallowed his apple slices.

"Just this once, I will pay for them," Lovegood said. "So you'd better make them count."

"I promise that I will," Harry said dutifully.

"See to it that you do," Lovegood said, pointing his toast at Harry. "Or I'll have you scrubbing cauldrons to pay me back."

Harry groaned. "I thought I was done with all that when I finished Hogwarts."

"Ah, think again, young friend," Lovegood said happily. "The dishwashers are rather cross with me because of the number of cauldrons you send over there every day."

"I'm sure you can scare them into submission," Harry said casually.

"That depends on the number of cauldrons," Lovegood chuckled. "We're almost past the point where my stern demeanour is not enough to keep them placated."

"Oh dear," Harry said sardonically. "I suppose I'll simply need to stop brewing so much."

"Going home on time would help," Lovegood pointed out.

"I will," Harry said. "As soon as I'm able to help my friend."

"On the condition that no other friend of yours will desperately seek help afterwards," Lovegood said cleverly.

"Exactly!" Harry said, grinning widely. "But don't worry. I really don't have _that_ many friends."

"As long as the ones that you have are good ones," Lovegood said.

"Oh yes," Harry told him. "They are the best."

* * *

True to his word, Lovegood had ordered ten tears of Mnemosyne right after lunch. He had impressed in his letter that he – as the head of St Mungo's – had urgent need of the ingredient and that he would not stand for any delays. This assured Harry that he would have access to the ingredient by morning at the latest.

Unfortunately, he had not been able to produce a potion with the desired results just yet. It helped that Lovegood was with him and it was nice trying to figure the problem out but at the same time, Harry was very aware of the trouble Draco was in at that exact moment, so he couldn't bring himself to enjoy this collaboration too much.

As far as Harry could tell – despite not having a final result just yet – they had made a lot of progress. This made him want to keep going but around eight in the evening, Lovegood had ordered him to go home. It was hard to ignore the chief when he was working on the same project you were so Harry had no choice but to comply.

"Aren't you going home as well, John?" Harry asked the older man.

"Nay," he replied. "Ah still 'ave some things that need completin'."

Harry frowned but said nothing. He just grabbed his things and left. Lately, John was becoming more and more closed off and Harry wondered if this had anything to do with the attention he was getting from Lovegood. Sure, Harry didn't speak with John all that often anymore but it's not like he was talkative whilst brewing anyway.

Deciding to ask John about it in the morning, Harry went home, taking the floo.

When it flared to life at the house in Spinner's End, Harry had not expected to see a half-dressed Maya sitting on the couch with Snape leaning over her in a most provocative manner.

"Dear Merlin!" Harry exclaimed before they had even noticed him. "Don't you have a bedroom in which you can do this stuff?"

"Harry!" Maya replied, hastily covering herself with a shirt that had been carelessly thrown aside. "Er… turn around for a moment, would you?"

Harry did as she asked but couldn't help but notice the smirk on Snape's face as he did. "And what are you so happy about?" Harry complained. "You do realize that your son just walked in on you, don't you?"

Snape snorted. "You're an adult now, Harry," he replied easily. "I'm sure you realised just what is going on in this house while you're away. And even sometimes while you're not."

"You can turn around now, Harry," Maya said. Harry did so carefully to find Maya fully dressed again.

"Weren't you supposed to be at Hogwarts?" Harry accused. "To prepare for the new school year or something?"

"We found ourselves ready much sooner than anticipated," Snape said easily. "And there are too many intrusions going on at Hogwarts. Can you imagine Dumbledore flooing into your chambers at the most inappropriate times?"

Harry frowned. "What, like I just did?"

"In all honesty, I didn't expect you home so soon," Snape pointed out.

"Stop teasing him, Sev," Maya said, lightly slapping Snape on the shoulder. "Can't you see that Harry had a long day? Harry, would you like something to eat? A cup of tea perhaps?"

Harry sank wearily into a chair, not even caring anymore about the awkward situation he walked into. Snape and Maya certainly didn't seem to mind. "Dinner would be fantastic," he said. "I'm starving."

While Maya went to talk to Zippy about dinner, Snape straightened out his robes and sat up a bit straighter. "Have you made any progress today?" he asked.

"I think so," Harry said. "I feel like we're almost ready to use the staff. But we're not there yet. I wanted to use some tears of Mnemosyne."

Snape frowned. "That's a very expensive ingredient."

"So I've been told," Harry said. "But if it's what's needed to help out Draco, I don't see why we shouldn't use it. Besides, Caratacus ordered the first batch using his own money. He said he would only do it once though."

"That man," Snape chuckled. "His curiosity often gets the better of him but this isn't even subtle."

Harry shrugged. "Whatever gets me where I need to be."

"Very Slytherin of you," Snape pointed out.

With a pop, a plate filled to the brim with mac and cheese appeared in front of Harry, the delicious smell causing his stomach to growl.

"Zippy was all too happy to make you your favourite," Maya said as she re-emerged from the kitchen. "Anyway, I think I'll leave you two boys to chat."

"Don't leave on my account," Harry said in between bites.

"It's not like that," Maya said. "But I need to bring my sister her latest batch of potions and see how she's doing."

"How _is_ she doing?" Harry asked, suddenly ashamed that he didn't ask earlier.

"Much better thanks to you," Maya said happily. "Alex is watching her like a hawk, never leaving her bedside to make sure that she doesn't relapse but she seems to be out of the woods."

"That's good to hear," Harry said with a release of breath.

"I just hope the ministry doesn't take too long to catch what remains of the Death Eaters," Maya growled. "If Severus is right, and Rookwood is behind this, it might not take him too long to create a new disease."

"Quite so," Snape said. "And Rookwood is definitely one to learn from his mistakes. He would not make it so easily curable next time."

"Where would we even begin looking, though?" Harry said.

"Not we, Harry," Snape pointed out coldly. "They. You are not running off after another Death Eater."

Harry shrugged uneasily. "That's not what I meant. There's no need to get all protective."

"I know exactly how you think and I beg to differ," Snape replied.

"As I said, it's not like anyone knows where to begin looking for him," Harry said. "For all we know, he fled the continent."

"I don't think he would do that," Snape said. "If he wants to continue his experimentation, he will most likely not want to switch his local or control group. That would not do in the scientific world."

Harry ran a hand through his hair in mild exasperation and continued eating, grumbling something inaudible under his breath.

"I'll be off now," Maya said, breaking the sudden silence. She kissed Snape goodbye and planted a kiss on Harry's cheek next. "Take care of yourselves," she said before making her exit.

"She's really growing on you, isn't she?" Harry asked after a while.

"That should not matter to you," Snape said dryly.

"You're parading her in front of me first thing when I get home," Harry said cheekily. "Besides, I think it matters plenty if she might become my new mum."

Snape cuffed Harry lightly to the back of his head, causing him to spit out some bits of pasta. "Hey!"

"For now, I'll ask you to not stick your nose where it doesn't belong," Snape said in a light-hearted tone of voice. "And _I'll_ try not to be as careless in the rooms we share."

"Yeah, you can't very well put a sock on the fireplace," Harry chuckled.

"That would be most ineffective," Snape countered.

When Harry finished two-thirds of his overly filled plate, he pushed it to the side where it disappeared with a pop. "I wouldn't mind, you know," he said after a while. "If she were to become… more permanent."

"It is far too soon to discuss such matters," Snape replied. "But I'm pleased to have received your blessing nonetheless."

"Do you want to play a game of chess?" Harry asked. "It's been a while."

Snape smirked. "I would love to," he replied. "But you do realize that you cannot possibly best me."

"I've gotten better!" Harry exclaimed in a very poor attempt to defend himself. "I might surprise you, yet."

"We shall see."

* * *

Harry did not surprise Snape in the least and he had lost five consecutive games of chess. When he lost the last one in merely ten moves, he got up and called it a night. Even if the hecticness of the dissolving sweats was mostly over, Harry still needed to get up early every day to begin working on his invention and his other potions. Sometimes, he even arrived before Lovegood did.

That's why he needed his sleep – as he now realized – and was not at all pleased when he was awoken by some loud, unidentified noises that seemed to be coming from downstairs.

"Tempus," he whispered to find out that it was barely four in the morning. Too early for Snape to be up. Suddenly, Harry was on full alert like he often had been during the days that Voldemort was still after him. He grabbed his wand and opened his door as quietly as possible. He thought he heard hushed voices talking to each other. If these were some muggle burglars thinking they might have hit the jackpot, they were going to be in for one heck of a surprise.

Harry crept down the stairs, carefully placing his feet near the edge of each step to try and not make them creek. As he came nearer to the sitting room – where the voices were coming from – he could also hear the sound of someone sobbing and was that the clipping of shears?

Harry could feel some sweat drops run down his back and wondered when he had become so anxious to confront unidentified assailants. Or perhaps he had never been comfortable with the concept and he simply forgot.

He took a deep breath, leaned against the wall and peered from behind it to try and catch a glimpse of the intruders. What he saw nearly made him drop his wand. While unexpected, he experienced a feeling of déjà vu as he saw Draco Malfoy sit on the couch, in the exact same spot he had been in when Harry had found him talking to Snape last Christmas morning.

Snape was there this time as well, carefully measuring some bandages and cutting them when he thought them long enough to be up to the task. Harry couldn't see much of Draco from, where he was standing but he did see some dried blood polluting the blonde's otherwise immaculate hair. Deciding on a different approach from the one he had taken at Christmas, Harry stepped into the sitting room, his wand now lowered to make himself known.

"Draco," he said, causing two heads to swivel and look at him. Draco's cheek was cut raggedly in three aligning lines as if he had been scratched. "What happened?"

Harry moved swiftly across the room to take a seat next to Draco, only to take in the rest of his injuries. His right arm had been cut severely with what clearly had to have been a knife. From the location where it was cut, Harry could clearly see that Draco had used the arm to defend himself. He appeared to have a nasty head injury as well and there were more scratches in his neck. Worst of all was the look of despair and devastation that was present in Draco's eyes, leaving no room for other emotions.

"Harry, you should be in bed," Snape chided.

"I woke up," Harry said, putting a hand on top of Draco's uninjured one since the boy hadn't responded yet. "Was it your mother?" he asked.

This elicited a sob from the Slytherin but he did not draw back his hand. "Yes," he admitted hoarsely. "She didn't recognise who I was anymore. She thought I was an intruder. I tried telling her. I – I tried reasoning with her but –"

"She could not be reasoned with," Snape said evenly. "It is not your fault, Draco. This is the natural progression of her condition."

"I never expected her to become violent," Draco said in a small voice. "She never was before."

"I know she never wanted to hurt you, Draco," Harry said. "If she had realised who you were to her, she wouldn't have done what she did."

Draco hissed as Snape dabbed some disinfectant onto his wounds. "I know that," he replied. "Rationally, I know that. But I –" He drew back his hand and buried his face into it. "It gets harder to believe that. And I know she can't help it but sometimes I find myself hating her for it. I'm such a horrible person."

"You're human," Harry pointed out. "It's only natural to have that kind of response when someone hurts you."

"Harry," Draco croaked. "I don't know how much longer I can take this."

"Perhaps it is time for you to take her to St Mungo's," Snape said as he mended Draco's cuts to the best of his abilities.

Draco laughed bitterly. "And make a mockery of what is left of the Malfoy name?" he said. "My aunt went insane. My father thought he could become the next Dark Lord and now I would put my mother in the loony bin? I would never be able to show my face again. Nor could she."

"Draco," Harry said softly. "This is killing you."

Draco breathed a shuddering sigh and looked at Snape with tear-filled eyes. "Please," he said. "Please help me."

"Draco," Snape sighed, now wrapping the bandages firmly around Draco's arm, "I don't know if –"

But Harry had heard enough. He hadn't fully realised the urgency of the situation before and was now practically kicking himself for coming home early when he could have spent more time trying to figure out how to help Narcissa. How could he have done this to his friend?

Harry got up from his seat; transfigured his pyjamas into clothes with a flick of his wand; walked over to the fireplace; ignored the stern voice of his father calling him back; tossed in the floo powder and called out 'St Mungo's'. Snape might not think that he could figure this out but he had been working on the solution with Caratacus Lovegood by his side. They were so close, he could feel it!

At what now was four-thirty in the morning, there weren't very many people about. There were only two people in the waiting room and they seemed to be falling asleep where they sat. The lights were still on but they shone very dimly. The receptionist was minding her own business, filling out a crossword puzzle. She glanced at Harry when he walked in but didn't even address him, knowing very well by now that the boy worked here.

Occasionally, a nurse would walk the corridors and enter a few rooms to administer medicine where it needed to be dispensed but this all happened in perfect silence, nothing but the sound of footsteps giving away that anyone was even still working at this hour.

And soon, Harry's own footsteps filled the ward as well as he hurried towards the elevator. Once inside, he mashed the button to go down, knowing full well that it didn't help in the slightest to keep pressing it, but it made him feel slightly better all the same.

Once downstairs, he didn't even wait for the elevator doors to fully open to dash out and hurry towards the lab. Draco was still firmly on his mind and he wondered if he would be able to help out his friend before he descended into madness himself.

He had already set a few steps into the lab before realizing that the torches were already burning. A cauldron was on the fire and a concoction that Harry did not immediately recognise was bubbling steadily. The shutting of a cabinet door caught Harry's attention next and he locked eyes with John who had a furious glint in his eyes that quickly vanished when he spotted Harry.

"John," Harry said carefully. "What are you doing here already?"

"Ah 'aven't left yet," John replied easily. "I didnae ken tha' it was so late already."

Harry frowned as he glanced at the potion again. "What are you making?" he asked. "That doesn't look like any healing potion I've ever seen."

John cleared his throat and took a few steps towards the cauldron and inadvertently Harry before replying. "Ah became a wee bit jealous when ah saw ye inventin' yer own brews," he said. "Ah wanted to try me hand at me own creation."

"And what exactly are you trying to brew?" Harry asked, taking a cautious step back.

John smiled kindly. "Why dinnae ye come and smell it," he said. "Ye'll find out with tha' keen nose of yers."

"No thank you," Harry said. "In fact, I think I forgot something. I'll be right back." Harry turned around and was about to bolt when he suddenly couldn't move anymore. He was able to shift his eyes just barely to notice how a greenish smoke seemed to envelop his body, causing it to freeze where he stood.

John sighed as he walked to face Harry. "You are much too clever for your own good, do you know that?" he said. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I respect you and your talents very much, Harry Potter. But for some reason, you decided to get in my way."

He walked over to the bubbling cauldron, covered his nose and scooped up a fair portion with a ladle which he then brought over to shove underneath Harry's nose.

"It might be a tad earlier than I had envisioned but you're here now," he said. Harry wished desperately that he could respond. That he could do something. But not only was he paralyzed, but the potion that he was made to smell was also making him drowsy.

"Don't fight it," John said soothingly. "It will all be over soon."

Whatever it was, it was too strong, and soon, Harry felt his eyes droop shut, and his senses turn to black, no longer realising why he thought it so important to stay awake in the first place.

* * *

_A poisoned gift indeed... I will not be updating tomorrow, just to be clear. But you can expect the next chapter on Monday. Please do leave a review because I would love to know how you feel about all of this._

_Two more chapters to come._


	46. Chapter 46

_I definitely don't regret posting on Saturday. Thank you all so very much for your reviews. It's been great reading your reactions and I couldn't help but laugh evilly at times._  
_**Small warning. The upcoming chapter contains pain and violence**. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 46**

When Harry next woke, his body was no longer frozen. He still couldn't move, though and when he opened his eyes he found out why that was. He was lying flat on his back on what used to be part of the long table that ran along the middle of the lab but was now transfigured into what seemed to be a rack. A medieval torture device Harry knew from some of his history books. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he thought of what the device could do.

"I see that you're finally awake," an unfamiliar voice said. Harry shifted his head to look in the direction the voice had come from to find an unfamiliar person staring at him. It was a tall man who seemed to be rather old. His short hair was mostly grey bit still showed flecks of the brown it once probably was. His eyes – though brown – were cold and serious and showed none of the joy that his smile seemed to emanate.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, surprised that his voice hadn't trembled.

"Don't you recognise me?" the man asked. "We have been brewing together for a while now. I should hope that you wouldn't forget me after all we've been through together."

"John?" Harry asked, trying to shake the confusion from his still murky brain.

"In the flesh," the man said with a small bow. "Well, not exactly, of course. Since I'll be done here in a few hours, I don't have the need to drink that dreadful Polyjuice potion anymore."

Harry growled as he struggled against his bonds. But it was no use. "Who are you?!" he shouted.

The man laughed but his eyes still held no joy. "Shout all you want, dear friend." He said amusedly. "I've had the common sense to cast a silencing spell on the room. No one will hear you."

Harry just stared at the man now, willing him to answer his question but not wanting to ask it again.

"Oh, alright," the man said. "I'm surprised that you don't recognise me. I go by the name of Augustus Rookwood."

Harry gasped as he stared at Rookwood. "What?" he asked. "Why would you even be here?"

"Think, Harry," Rookwood said. Harry felt dirty just by hearing his name on the Death Eater's tongue. "It was a means to witness the results of my experiments first-hand. This disease was my masterpiece, you see? And it was going rather well –" Rookwood glared menacingly at Harry, slapping him lightly – almost playfully – in the face. "- Until you and Snape came along. Honestly, from one scientist to another, did you think it polite to come in between me and my research?"

"You were murdering people!" Harry exclaimed.

"Muggles," Rookwood shrugged. "Vermin that is no better than the mice that gnaw away at your walls, or the rabbits that ransack your garden. I never hurt an actual person."

Harry stared at Rookwood, dumbfounded to realize that the man was completely serious.

"You've hurt one of my friends!" Harry accused.

"A muggle friend?" Rookwood asked, his eyebrow raised in question. "So get another one. They are as replaceable as dogs."

Harry felt a white-hot flash of rage as he struggled against the chains that bound him once more, wanting nothing more than to punch Rookwood right in the nose.

"Calm yourself, Harry," Rookwood said evenly. "You might hurt yourself before _I_ get a chance to. Now, I've noticed that fine little artefact you carry with you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry spat.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy," Rookwood warned. "I've seen you use that cuff many times over. Daily even. You use it to stay in touch with your father. It's rather heart-warming, really."

Rookwood gently stroked Harry's arm right above the cuff and Harry shivered involuntarily.

"What say you we summon him here, shall we?" Rookwood asked. "After all, he had much to do with ruining my experiment. Not as much as you, mind you but I would still like to send a message that it will not do to mess with my plans."

Rookwood clicked the small quill out of the cuff and ignored the growl that escaped Harry's throat.

From his vantage point, Harry could see the message that Rookwood was sending to Snape.

'_If you want to see Harry alive one last time, come alone to lab 7 within 15 minutes._'

"You realize that you can't win against him, right?" Harry said, trying to get a reaction out of the stoic potioneer. But the man just smiled at him.

"Oh, dear boy," he said warmly. "I've had plenty of time to prepare for this eventuality. Your dear old father does not stand a chance."

"You're mental!" Harry said.

"I beg to differ," Rookwood replied as he sat down on a stool next to Harry. "I'm simply a tad distraught that you got in my way. It's a pity, really –" Rookwood pulled on a handle that caused the chains around Harry's limbs to tighten painfully. " – I was truly enjoying cooperating with you, watching the next generation of brewers develop. And then, you went and did this."

Rookwood sounded almost sad when he pulled the handle again and Harry grit his teeth as he felt the painful strain on his limbs.

"So this is all some kind of sick act of revenge?" Harry asked, breathing a bit more heavily than before.

"Exactly so," Rookwood said. "I realize that it might come across as petty –" he pulled the handle again, " – and in a way, I suppose that it is. But even a man as patient as myself has his limits. And I will not have you or Severus thwart me ever again."

When Rookwood pulled the handle once more, Harry finally cried out. He heard a popping sound and felt an excruciating pain in his left ankle that was only suffering all the more because of the inhuman strain on his body.

"AAAARGH!"

"Hush now," Rookwood admonished. "We've scarcely begun."

"Let me go, you psychopath," Harry snarled through gritted teeth. "I can't believe you're torturing me simply because your ego was bruised!"

Rookwood looked at him sharply, glaring daggers at the boy before he smirked unnaturally wide. "My research is all that I have left now," he said, patting Harry's injured ankle. He cocked his head to the side as he continued to regard Harry. "You've taken that away from me. So now, I'll take away from you what you deem most precious."

"You can never – AAAAAH!"

Rookwood pulled the handle again, a positively bored expression on his face as Harry felt both of his wrists snap at the same time. There was nothing he could do to stop the tears from flowing down his face.

Rookwood leaned over and gently wiped away his tears. "Don't cry, young apprentice," he said soothingly. "You have to be strong. Can you do that for me?"

"You're a MONSTER!" Harry spat. He tried to bite the hand that was still wiping away his tears but Rookwood was too fast.

"Perhaps I am just that," Rookwood mused. "I fear that my beliefs and ideals are no longer accepted in this strange new world." He leaned leisurely against the handle, almost teasing Harry since he could not expect when next it would be pulled. "I was once revered as someone knowledgeable; admirable even among my peers, you know?"

"Among your Death Eater friends, you mean," Harry snarled.

Rookwood clicked his tongue. "Don't forget that your father was also one of us." He laughed bitterly. "Your _father_," he repeated amusedly. "If Lord Voldemort were still alive he might have wiped out the continent when he learned the news."

"But he's not," Harry replied with a sense of accomplishment. "We killed him. The two of us together."

"And now the two of you will die together, won't you, you little runt?" Rookwood spat in a tone that seemed very different from the way he had been talking earlier. Harry nearly blacked out when he felt the strains finally dislocate his right ankle but there was something in the air that kept him from doing so.

"Enjoying the pain?" Rookwood asked coyly. "Judging by the number of scars on your body, you are somewhat of a masochist."

If Harry had been able to struggle at his bonds, he would have but not only was his strength leaving him fast, his limbs could and would not cooperate with him anymore.

Harry didn't respond. He simply glared at Rookwood, clenching his teeth together with so much force that he wondered if they would break soon. All the while he was wondering where in the world Snape was and what was keeping him so long. Had he fallen asleep again?

"Tell me, Harry," Rookwood said sweetly. "Do you want me to continue? Does this strike your fancy?" He pulled the handle again, a bit further this time and Harry screamed in agony when he felt his elbows pop out of their sockets. It was some of the worst pain he had ever felt. Immediately, he felt his hands go numb and was vaguely aware of feeling his heartbeat in his ankles and the unnatural strain on his kneecaps. Surely, they would be the next thing to go.

"STOP!" Harry shouted.

"Oh?" Rookwood cooed. Harry vaguely got the impression that the man was becoming more and more unhinged the longer he talked to him. "Not as much a fan as I thought, then? It's alright. You can just beg me to stop instead, hm?"

"Why are you doing this?" Harry cried, his voice now decidedly unsteady.

"I already explained this to you, Harry," Rookwood snarled. "You need to learn to listen. If Snape had already made his appearance, the pain would have already stopped. Did he misplace the floo powder or something?"

"He won't come," Harry said, a part of him hoping that Snape would stay away but a larger part of him hoping that his father would come to rescue him. "He's too clever to walk into a trap like this."

Rookwood nodded. "Once upon a time, I would have agreed with you," he said, gently brushing a strand of hair out of Harry's face. He smiled. "But not anymore. He cares for you. I've seen it. And you know it."

Another twitch of the chains and the distinct sound of cartilage snapping and bones breaking. The pull at Harry's already destroyed ligaments was agonizing enough on its own but the feel of his knees dislocating as well as his kneecaps breaking, elicited a howl of deep pain. One that made Rookwood chuckle.

"Poor little Harry," he teased. "Was able to defeat Voldemort when he was still a child but can't seem to hold himself together after a few minutes of torture." Rookwood laughed. "No pun intended."

As Harry breathed, he couldn't help the keening that escaped him. He would be horrified at himself had he been able to think beyond the pain.

"If you're going to kill me anyway, why don't you?" he practically begged. "There's no need for all of this."

"If Severus doesn't get here within five minutes, I will," Rookwood said placatingly. "But for now, you'll just have to hold on for a moment more. Don't worry. I'll sit with you."

Rookwood moved his stool to sit slightly behind Harry and to the boy's horror, the man started stroking his hair.

"Everything will be alright," he whispered in a tone that could have been described as lovingly had it come from anyone else. "Soon, there will be no more pain."

Harry sobbed because of the horrific pain that would not leave his abused limbs alone. He wanted desperately to pass out but was unable to. To make matters even worse, Rookwood began singing, ever so softly as he continued stroking Harry's hair as would a mother to comfort their child.

"Stop it," Harry hissed through the soft humming. But Rookwood ignored him and kept gently stroking the boy, now occasionally kissing him on the forehead.

Harry's breathing hitched painfully as he tried his best not to move. How did he always get into these kinds of messes?

"Dad," he croaked desperately, as Rookwood placed a soft kiss in his neck.

"I think you may be right, Harry," Rookwood said softly. "Severus seems to care less about you than he does about himself. But that's alright. You have me now."

Harry shuddered in pain and disgust as Rookwood's hand caressed his chest softly as it travelled down. "It is nearly time," he whispered in Harry's ear. "Can you hear the ticking of the clock? Tick –" he stroked Harry's thigh, grinning as the boy whimpered. "- tock."

Harry didn't register what happened next all that well but he became aware of the distinct feel of a powerful blast of air and the sudden disappearance of Rookwood's presence.

"Stay away from my son!" Snape shouted and Harry lifted his head slightly to look at the entrance to the lab in relief. Snape stood there, his wand extended and a furious look in his eyes. His gaze flickered towards Harry momentarily. He flicked his wand and Harry was liberated from his bonds. The sudden flood of renewed agony, caused by the abrupt release caused him to cry out in pain once more but Snape didn't rush to his aid, as he would no doubt normally have done. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on Rookwood who was laughing as he got back up.

"Making an entrance at the very last minute, Severus?" he asked gleefully. "I never took you for one who appreciated dramatics. But I'm sure that Harry loved you drawing out his agony as much as you have."

* * *

Snape did his best not to allow Rookwood to distract him with his taunts. It was already difficult enough not to hurry to Harry's side and take him away from the wretched man standing across the room. The boy was clearly in agony, not to mention the foul things Rookwood was doing to him as Snape arrived. He shuddered at the thought. This man had truly descended into madness.

Snape took a few daring steps forward when Rookwood clicked his tongue.

"Not so fast, Severus," he chided. "You should watch your step."

Snape growled and flicked his wand in Rookwood's direction, cursing to kill. But Rookwood erected a shield as he crouched to take cover behind the table.

"Tell me, Severus," Rookwood hissed. "What do you get when you combine chimaera oil with phoenix feathers?"

Snape angrily thrust his wand forward, causing the table to explode into thick, jagged pieces. He quickly erected a shield of his own to shield both him and his son from the chunks.

Rookwood flicked his own wand in retaliation but instead of firing a curse, he tipped a jar on one of the shelves next to Snape, causing it to fall the floor, the oily substance within spreading quickly. Before Snape could respond, Rookwood summoned a phoenix feather that was hidden underneath the table in Snape's vicinity and dragged it through the oil.

Snape tried erecting a shield to protect himself from the blast but he was not able to do so in time. The arm that he raised instinctively to shield his eyes took the brunt of the damage. Judging from the pain, Snape guessed that he suffered third-degree burns at the least. A fire was started because of the blast that was now burning through the shelves quite quickly and heading towards the tipua leaves via a path created by the oil.

At that moment, Snape had to make a split decision. He could focus his attention on Rookwood and try to incapacitate him as soon as possible or he could stop the fire from reaching the tipua leaves. If he didn't do the latter, the toxic fumes released by the burning leaves would no doubt prove fatal within minutes. He could protect himself with a bubblehead charm but Harry would have no such protection. The choice was an easy one to make.

Snape focused his attention on the fire, vanishing oil that had not been set alight yet as well as casting aguamenti to douse the flames. This allowed Rookwood to start firing hexes and curses as he pleased but Snape knew that the man was not the best dueller. And even while focused on the fire, he still managed to block and dodge most of the enemy spells fired in his direction. Some weren't even close to connecting with him, which Snape could only be thankful for at that moment.

When he finally managed to douse the fire, he turned his attention back to his former colleague.

"Stop this right now, Augustus," he snarled, worrying more and more about his son that lay writhing in tremendous pain. "How do you even expect to win this?"

"There is always an answer," Rookwood replied easily. "But I'm not about to tell you what that is."

Snape fired a slew of Sectumsemprae in Rookwood's direction, wanting nothing more than to sever the man's head clean from his torso. A few of the curses connected with Rookwood but the man didn't seem the least bit perturbed, despite the blood he was now rapidly losing.

"That's not very original, coming from you, is it?" Rookwood taunted. Snape just grit his teeth as he did his best to ignore the stabbing pains that ran through his arm. He then noticed that Rookwood produced a potion and lifted his wand to try and make a pre-emptive attack.

"Should you really be looking this way?" Rookwood called. "Your son is coming perilously close to dying!"

Snape's heart skipped a beat as he glanced over at Harry and realized that Rookwood's missed attacks from earlier had actually been spot on. He had blasted several jars that were placed strategically in Harry's vicinity. A sort of gas erupted from all of them that seemed to mix into something that Snape could only imagine would be highly lethal.

He cursed under his breath, erected a shield and moved closer to Harry. But Rookwood wasn't even attempting to block him from doing so at that moment. Instead, he drank the potion. Snape noticed the sickly black colour of the potion and thought he knew what it was but didn't have the time to dwell on it at that moment. As soon as he reached Harry, he charmed a gust of wind into existence that blew the gas in Rookwood's direction. For good measure, he cast a bubblehead charm on Harry to prevent any future traps of this manner.

"I'm sorry, dad," Harry groaned. Snape wanted very much to comfort Harry but he knew that he couldn't afford the distraction. Harry seemed to understand as he closed his eyes and bit his lip.

"I'll wrap this up quickly," Snape said softly so that Rookwood wouldn't hear him. He focused his attention on Rookwood again and noticed that the man's earlier injuries had vanished completely. It then became clear as day what the man had drunk.

"You must really be desperate," Snape said stoically. "I'm starting to believe that you do not have much of a plan, after all."

"I _had_ a plan, Severus," Rookwood snarled as he now came towards Snape as if he feared his assaults no more. "But you and your little apprentice saw fit to get in the way of that."

Snape cast a blasting curse at Rookwood that the man was too slow to block but even though it connected, it hardly seemed to have any effect. As was to be expected, of course.

Now Rookwood cast several hexes in a row. Snape blocked and dodged what he could, crying out in agony when he landed painfully onto his injured arm.

"Oh, did you hurt your arm?" Rookwood asked. "Maybe you need some burning salve!" with another flick of his wand, a jar of said substance flew off the shelves and would have landed on Snape's head had he not ducked underneath a part of the table that still stood upright.

"No?" Rookwood asked as he marched closer. "You are so unkind to reject my assistance. I thought we were old friends."

Snape sent another cutting hex Rookwood's way and cursed heavily when it seemed to cause absolutely no damage.

"Let Harry go, Augustus," Snape said. He crawled underneath the table to come out the other way. "It's me you really want."

"Is it?" Rookwood asked. "And since when do you know anything about what I want?" he cast another spell at Snape that was about to land somewhere on his left shoulder so Snape stepped to the right and out of the way. No sooner had he done that when he heard an awful snapping sound and the sudden sharp feeling of the breaking of bone and the piercing of flesh. He inhaled sharply when he became aware of the pain and glanced down to see what seemed to be a bear trap compressed around his foot. Only, he knew that it hadn't been there a moment before.

"I've always been better at transfiguration than you have," Rookwood pointed out smugly. "Misdirection as well."

Snape was aware of the jar of acidic Asian scorpion venom sitting on top of the shelf above Rookwood and tried his best not to glance at it, lest Rookwood realized that it was there as well. Balancing his weight on his healthy leg, he pointed his wand at Rookwood's chest to distract the man but used his left hand to wandlessly topple the jar over. Unfortunately for Rookwood, he was standing right beneath it as the jar smashed and the acid splashed all over his head and back.

Rookwood didn't scream. He didn't writhe. He didn't exhibit any sort of signs that he was in pain. His clothes were smoking somewhat and melting where the acid had landed but his skin didn't seem to react at all.

"Your death is going to be a very painful one," Snape sneered. "I do hope you're prepared."

"I will take you down with me before that happens," Rookwood snarled. "Just look at you. You're stuck."

"Am I?" While Rookwood had been dealing with the acid, Snape had quickly tapped the trap with his wand, ordering it to release him. It was now tossed aside, laying forgotten next to Snape's mangled foot.

Rookwood growled and cast another slew of spells in Snape's direction. He blocked each one easily as he kept his gaze locked onto Rookwood's.

"You're losing focus fast, Augustus," Snape said mockingly. "Tick tock, as you say."

Snape realised that at some point – probably before they had even started fighting – Rookwood had become completely unhinged. There was a crazed look in his eyes and the way he was breathing rapidly between clenched teeth made Snape surprised that he wasn't frothing at the mouth.

"Tick-tock," he said again, purposely taunting his adversary.

"I'll show you," Rookwood growled. "Avada –"

Much could be said about the killing curse but there was a good reason that it was not the only spell in a Death Eater's repertoire. Not only was it always obvious that it was to be cast, its wand movement left the caster in question wide open and the curse took a long time to cast. Time that was very precious in the midst of battle. Which is why this was precisely what Snape had been waiting for.

As soon as the first syllable left Rookwood's mouth, he ducked and threw himself under the table again, seeing nothing but Rookwood's feet as he uttered the second syllable. Non-verbally, he cast his next spell, by firmly planting his hands on the floor, his wand connecting both hands as he envisioned the ground to crack. It did under his command as Rookwood uttered the second syllable of the second word. But it was fast enough. He lost his footing as the ground opened up beneath him and he stumbled to fall onto the jagged cracks that the stone had formed, only to have the floor close up around him again.

This was not a spell meant to wound anyone but to capture someone. Rookwood could not have protected himself against that. Snape got up from under the table as Rookwood stumbled, his balance broken by the awkward position in which he was captured. He had not dropped his wand though and was now aiming it in Harry's direction.

"I can still kill the boy," Rookwood snarled. "If nothing else, I can _still_ take his –"

Snape did not allow Rookwood to say anything else. He drew back his hand for a moment before punching Rookwood square in the jaw as hard as he could. This did not injure his old colleague but it did cause him to drop his wand.

"You will never lay another hand on Harry," Snape growled as he stepped on Rookwood's wand, cracking it with his weight. "In fact, you will never lay another hand on anyone. Your time is up."

Rookwood laughed. "What makes you so different?" he asked. "Why can _you_ continue living your life while _I_ can't?"

Snape sneered, showing nothing but disgust for the Death Eater now babbling in front of him. "As a very good friend of mine once said: 'It's our choices that show what we truly are'. And I would like to add to that that these _choices_ gave me the right while _yours_ condemned you."

Rookwood grinned broadly as he stared at Snape. "Tick-tock," he said. Some blood drizzled from between his teeth.

"Tick-tock," he said again as gashes and cuts appeared all over his body. Blood started oozing from all over his body.

Where the acid had touched him before, his skin now started to melt until it started to look like candle wax. "Tick tock!" he screeched as more and more injuries started to litter his body. Injuries that Snape knew could never be survived.

"Tick-tock," Snape agreed. "It is the sound of your life running out."

Rookwood said no more. His eyes glazed over as his body crumpled. His arms dropped lifelessly next to him as his body half-collapsed as it was still captured in the stone maws of the floor. Snape was suddenly very aware of the broken pieces of Rookwood's wand still under his foot. And as sudden as this battle had happened, it was over. Nothing to show for it but a broken laboratory, a dead Death Eater and two mangled potioneers.

* * *

_Did you all enjoy the chapter? I certainly loved writing it! Please let me know what you thought in a review. Tomorrow I will post the very last chapter. See you then!_


	47. Chapter 47

_Thanks to everyone for reviewing and for sticking around this long. Wtihout further ado, here is the next and last chapter of the series. Please enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 47**

It was a very good thing that they were already at St Mungo's seeing how both Snape and Harry required urgent medical attention. Due to the mangled state of Snape's right foot, it had taken him a while to go and get help, especially since it was still very early. But eventually, he had managed to flag someone down and after that, it had only been a matter of minutes before both he and Harry had been recovered and placed in a room together. An Auror had arrived shortly after to collect Rookwood's dead body.

As soon as Harry has been removed from the lab, he had finally and thankfully blacked out. When he next opened his eyes, he could only make out blurry shapes and colours. Instinctively, he moved to grab his glasses but winced when he was met with incredible pain as he tried to do so. This caused the memories of earlier that morning to come flooding back to him and he gasped in both pain and worry.

"Dad?" he asked, still trying to get a better view of his surroundings.

"I'm here," Snape replied and Harry relaxed considerably. "Here, hold still for a moment." Harry did as he was told and felt how Snape placed his glasses on his nose.

"Thanks," Harry said. He then turned his head to get a better look at Snape who was sitting in the bed next to his. His left arm had been completely bandaged and his right foot was in a cast of sorts.

"A cast?" Harry pointed out. "What happened to skele-gro?"

Snape growled. "Whatever else Rookwood had done in that lab, he had also released some sort of mist that made sure that I can't benefit from any curative potions for a while," he replied angrily. "It's not permanent but it will be at least a week before I can be released from this cast."

"I'm sorry you got hurt," Harry said.

"You should see the other guy," Snape deadpanned, eliciting a chuckle from Harry.

"I'll bet," he replied. "But Severus, what the bloody hell took you so long?"

"Language," Snape chided softly. Harry simply scoffed in response.

"After tending to Draco's wounds, I took him home to make sure that his mother was alright again. I didn't want to leave him in a dangerous situation, of course."

"Right," Harry responded.

"When I got the message, I was right in the middle of talking to Narcissa, trying to get her to take a mixture of a calming and a sleeping draught. I never imagined the possible urgency of the message. I am… truly sorry."

Harry frowned as he witnessed the tortured look on Snape's face. "It's alright," he said finally. "At least it wasn't because you were getting busy with Maya or something."

Snape snorted. "I would punish you for that cheeky statement, but I think you've been punished enough for a while."

Harry tried to sit upright but Snape quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. "None of that," he said. "The damage to your body is quite extensive. It will take a while for you to heal."

"Did I breath in that mist as well?" Harry asked, frowning.

"No," Snape replied. "I cast a bubblehead charm on you. But there's only so much that magic can do. You should know better than anyone that some injuries can't possibly heal overnight."

Harry groaned. "I can't do a single thing like this," he said, trying in vain to move his fingers. "I'll get bored."

"It's a good thing that you have me for company," Snape pointed out.

"Great," Harry sulked. "I'm imprisoned in a hospital bed and as a bonus, the snarky bat of the dungeons is here to keep me company."

"Don't make me suffocate you with a pillow," Snape warned. "It would be quite easy to do so right now."

"If you're going to do it, do it now," Harry whined. "I'm not looking forward to staying here all cooped up."

"You don't even know how long you're supposed to stay here," Snape pointed out.

"With an overprotective dad like you, I can only imagine," Harry sighed. "And I'm supposed to brew something to help Narcissa out. How am I supposed to do that when I can't even hold a stirrer?"

"You're not," Snape said easily. "It will just have to wait. Now, to pass the time I thought I would read to you."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Harry exclaimed, but he couldn't help a smile from forming.

"Oh, I'm quite serious," Snape said. "What do you want to hear? 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' or 'Hogwarts, a History?"

"I have gone seven years without reading that book, despite Hermione's insistence," Harry chuckled. "And now it seems rather pointless and just as boring."

"The children's book it is," Snape said, rolling his eyes. Harry relaxed into his cushions and looked at Snape expectantly. The man opened the book with a sigh and began to read. "There was once a kindly old wizard who used his magic generously and wisely…"

* * *

Exactly one week later, Harry found himself in lab eight. Since lab seven had pretty much been reduced to rubble, he was given that lab to complete his experimentation. It was a good thing that the tears of Mnemosyne had been delivered after the battle and were therefore not in need of replacement. Harry had only been allowed to leave yesterday but was very much eager to. Snape – though he had still been wearing a cast – had been allowed to walk around after only one day of being hospitalised, much to Harry's dismay.

It was good to be brewing again. His hopes for helping Malfoy were still high. It had been telling that Draco hadn't even come to visit Harry while he was in the hospital. It probably had everything to do with his mother. Ron and Hermione had come to visit him, Hermione playing the role of overbearing mother hen while Ron kept cracking jokes like how Harry might've grown a bit taller after all of this. Luna had been by as well, of course, but she had been much more gentle and careful around him than his two friends had been. It was good to know that – even after graduation – Harry was still able to count on his friends. He had no doubt that this would always be the case.

Carefully, Harry added three of the tears to his potion and watched how waves were suddenly created in the concoction as it swirled around a very still centre.

"Interesting effect," Lovegood said as he watched Harry work. He was there, still upholding his end of the bargain. "In my humble opinion, this should definitely do the trick. I don't think the staff will even be required."

"You don't?" Harry asked incredulously.

"This potion should do fine by itself," Lovegood said. "After all, we mustn't forget to brew without the use of rare artefacts such as this one. It's admirable that you wish to help your friend but just imagine; if this works, many more people would benefit from this draught. And if other potioneers would be able to replicate the potion – which would be nigh impossible if you plan to use the staff in the recipe – soon we might find ourselves equipped to deal with dementia easily. And stemming from that, other mental illnesses might be considered to become curable as well."

"That makes sense," Harry had to admit. "But if it doesn't work –"

"If it doesn't work, you can always brew the whole thing again and use the staff after all," Lovegood said. "But I urge you to try the potion without it first."

Harry smiled at the man who had procured the tears for him in the first place and had spent a great deal of his time to help Harry achieve the current result. The least he could do was grant him this request. "Of course," he finally said. "Would you mind if I go to my friend right now to test it? I realize that it's still the middle of the day…"

Lovegood chuckled. "Harry," he said, "these last few months you have worked two days worth of hours every day. I'm sure I can allow you to leave a tad earlier than usual in return. If you would kindly let me know the final result, though, I would be most appreciative."

"Of course," Harry said. He bottled two vials of the potion to be sure – you could never know when one might break – and made his way to the floo. He still had a bit of a limp, which was only natural if you considered what had happened to his knees. Even with magic, he was bound to feel some discomfort after only a week.

When he finally arrived at the corridor of hearths, he chose an available one, tossed in some floo powder and called out "Malfoy Manor!"

The floo flared and Harry got inside, gritting his teeth as he stumbled through the network. When he finally arrived at his destination, he stumbled forward and was only barely able to keep himself upright by clinging to a table that stood nearby.

"Harry," said a voice as Harry righted himself, noticing a slight tremble in his legs. Perhaps taking the floo had been a bit overconfident. Well, he _still_ didn't fully understand how to apparate, after all.

"Hi Draco," Harry replied as he shakily tried to catch his breath. "Sorry to stop by unannounced."

"Sit down for a moment, will you?" Draco said, sliding a chair out from under the table for Harry to sit in. "I heard what happened. I'm sorry that I couldn't come to visit. Mother –"

"You don't need to apologize," Harry said uneasily. "I understand. It's why I'm here, actually."

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

"My being in the hospital sort of caused a delay in my plans but I think I did it," Harry said."

"Did what?" Draco asked. His tone betrayed his hopefulness but Harry imagined that Draco wanted to hear the words for himself.

"I believe I've managed to brew a cure for your mother. Chief Lovegood helped me and he too thinks that the potion should be potent enough."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Draco asked as he sat down as well.

"Dead serious," Harry replied. "If you want, we could test it right now."

"Please," Draco said hoarsely. "If you think this will work, let's try it out this instant."

"Where is she?" Harry asked.

"Sleeping," Draco replied. "If you would follow me, I'll guide you to her room."

The two walked in complete silence as they both hoped that the potion would work. Harry had made more complicated potions than this one before but for some reason, he was even more anxious for the result of this particular potion than he had been for the cure to the dissolving sweats. And he knew that it meant the world to the boy walking beside him.

Several years ago, it would have been unthinkable for Draco to put all his trust in a potion of Harry's creation. Harry shuddered to think what would have happened to the blonde if they had never become friends in the first place. Would Snape have tried to come up with this potion? Would Draco have even told his Godfather of his troubles in the first place or would he have locked himself and his mother away, waiting for the day that one of them had enough?

Harry shook himself out of those grim thoughts and followed Draco into Narcissa's bedroom. She slept on the right side of a very large bed that stood centred against the wall across from the door. It seemed much too big for only one person and Harry felt strange knowing that Lucius had slept in the very same bed not all too long ago.

"Mother," Draco said softly as he approached the bed. Narcissa didn't stir and Harry kept standing in the doorway. He didn't want to spook the woman when she woke.

"Mother," Draco urged again, a bit louder this time.

"Daddy?" Narcissa said groggily. "Five more minutes."

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at Harry and inclined his head to signal for him to come closer. Harry took the potion out of his pocket and walked over.

"It's time to wake up," Draco urged, trying to sound stern.

Narcissa rubbed her eyes and stared blearily at Harry. "Daddy, who is that?"

"My friend," Draco replied soothingly. "He's here to help you."

Narcissa glared suspiciously at Harry who was starting to feel an upcoming ache in his knees from walking and standing so much. Draco seemed to notice Harry's discomfort since he summoned a chair for him.

"I want you to behave yourself, okay?" Draco told Narcissa. "I'll buy you a present if you do. Can you do this for me?"

Tears glistened in Draco's eyes as he looked pleadingly at his mother. She smiled and grabbed his hand. "Okay," she said. "I'll be good."

Harry cleared his throat and showed Narcissa the potion that was periwinkle in colour. "I need you to drink this for me, okay?" he asked. "It's not going to taste very good but it will help you."

Narcissa glanced at Draco again who nodded encouragingly and took the potion with both hands.

"It's pretty," she said.

Draco smiled as he wiped away a tear. "Just like you are," he said softly.

Narcissa giggled girlishly at that. She removed the stopper from the vial and scrunched up her nose when she smelled the sour damp that came from the potion.

"Do I have to drink all of it?" she whined.

"To the last drop," Harry said importantly. "But I know that you can do it. I have faith in you." He smiled and nodded towards the vial.

"Okay," Narcissa said. She pinched her nose and downed the potion, though it took her several gulps to get it all down. Afterwards, she handed Harry the vial back which he pocketed automatically.

"Close your eyes," Harry told her. "You're going to start feeling sleepy."

"But I just woke up," Narcissa protested, stifling a yawn.

"You only need to sleep a little while longer," Harry told her soothingly. "When you wake up again, everything will be better."

"Okay," Narcissa said, already laying her head back down. She curled up as Draco tucked in the blankets around her.

"Good night, daddy," Narcissa sighed. Instantly after, she was sound asleep.

With a trembling hand, Draco summoned a second chair and sat down next to Harry. "I really hope this works," he said listlessly. "I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't."

Harry put a hand on Draco's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "If it doesn't work, I'll try again," he said earnestly. "I'll keep trying until I get it right. I promise you that."

Draco eyed him wearily, with the utmost respect flickering in his eyes. "How I was ever able to be such a git to you is beyond me," he said. "You must be the best person I have ever met."

"I'm stubborn, that's what I am," Harry chuckled. "That's usually not a good thing, either. Ask Severus."

"Yeah," Draco replied plainly.

They sat together in comfortable silence for a very long time as Narcissa slept. She stirred every now and then but didn't wake.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked after a long time. "I've noticed that you're not exactly in the best of health, yourself."

Harry rolled his right shoulder experimentally as he worked out some kinks. "I think I'd rather have another encounter with Voldemort than with Rookwood. That man was insane!"

"He always seemed to be pretty grounded," Draco said. "You know… back in the day."

"That's what Severus said," Harry scoffed. "But when you start torturing people with medieval devices, then singing some crooked lullaby to them as they cry in agony, you're pretty mental in my books."

Draco frowned. "I didn't know what he did exactly," he admitted. "Will you make a full recovery?"

"I will," Harry said. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love magic. The problem is that when the lunatics get their hands on it, it can be very devastating."

"You're going over this pretty lightly," Draco pointed out.

"I'm used to my fair share of pain," Harry said with a wry chuckle. "That said, last week was one of the worst days of my life, even if the pain didn't really last all that long. I guess I went too long without running into trouble."

Draco chuckled and was about to reply when Narcissa suddenly sat up, her eyes wide open as she stared at Draco in shock.

None of the three people present spoke for the first moment but when the silence became too uncomfortable, Draco reluctantly said: "Mum?"

A few tears dropped from Narcissa's eyes as she regarded Draco, her lip trembling. "D-Draco," she said. "I'm so sorry, child. I'm so, so sorry." Draco gasped as he heard his name on his mother's lips again.

Narcissa's tears now flowed freely as she buried her face into her hands, her shoulders trembling as she tried to contain herself. Draco sat next to her in the bed and draped his arm around her shoulders. Harry saw that he was trying to stay strong but he was not really succeeding.

"It's alright, mother," he said, a careful happiness evident in his voice. "You're back now."

He glanced up at Harry and when he saw the boy watching carefully he mouthed the words 'thank you.'

Harry smiled, nodded and silently retreated from the room, leaving mother and son to grieve the time they had lost with each other.

* * *

When the skele-gro would finally work on Snape again, he was able to get rid of the cast he had to wear. Already, he was complaining about its itchiness to which Harry could only roll his eyes. If he could trade his aching joints for a very localised itch, he would do it in a heartbeat.

When the cast was indeed removed, there was only one last thing for Harry and Snape to do. They had once again been summoned to the guild pyramid to attend another meeting.

"I suppose that saving the world again might have changed their views of your skills," Snape told Harry as he started climbing the stairs. Harry groaned as he too dragged himself upwards.

"What is it with old societies and their terribly impractical meeting places?" he complained. "Honestly, would it kill them to install an elevator? Or better yet, to relocate to a nice air conditioned office building?"

Snape laughed as he offered Harry his arm in assistance. Harry gratefully took it, leaning heavily on Snape for the rest of the way.

"I'll bring it up in the next guild meeting," Snape said. "Perhaps it is time for some changes."

When they finally stumbled into the meeting space, everyone was already sitting in their rightful seats. Harry could see that the staff of Caduceus was back on the wall as if it was never taken in the first place. Snape didn't take his seat. Instead, he allowed Harry to sit there, knowing that the boy was still healing. None of the other masters objected.

"Welcome back, Harry Potter," Lovegood said authoritatively. "It is not usually that we gather twice in the same year for the same person. But we have all agreed that you provide enough cause for an exception."

Snape snorted as if to say that that was nothing new but Harry ignored him, entwining his fingers and listening politely.

"As we are all aware, you have been quite busy since last we all met," Lovegood continued. "Not only have you shown astounding promise as a brewer while maintaining the hospital stocks, but you also managed to brew a cure to a disease that – until recently – seemed to be undefeatable. And you did so without any outside assistance."

Harry was about to object when he saw Snape shake his head out of the corner of his eye.

"Esteemed colleagues," Lovegood continued, now facing the other Masters. "After the onslaught that was 'the dissolving sweats' happened, I have joined Mr Potter's research to try and find a cure to a more common and often forgotten disease, namely dementia."

The masters started whispering to each other when Lovegood raised his hand to demand silence. "I was able to get some first-hand experience with Mr Potter's process. And though he may be somewhat chaotic at times –" Lovegood winked at Harry as he said this, " – He is also fiercely committed to every task he receives or gives himself. Had he not been interrupted by the unfortunate appearance of a certain Death Eater, he would have no doubt completed the cure sooner."

"Master Lovegood?" one of the Masters interrupted. "Are you implying that he managed to create a cure? For dementia, I mean."

"Only a few days ago," Lovegood said. "But yes. Yes indeed. The potion has been tested and the test-subject has been reported to have made a full recovery. We shall have to wait to see the long-term effects but it all seems very promising, much as our apprentice himself."

Snape put a hand on Harry's shoulder and when Harry looked up at him, he could see the man smiling.

"I propose another vote," Lovegood finally said. "And I believe we needn't wait for Mr Potter to leave the room. He is still recovering from his injuries for one and I do believe that we can share the results immediately this time."

Lovegood glared around the room as if he dared anyone to disagree with him. When no one did, he smiled and nodded. "All those in favour of granting Harry Potter the title of Potions Master?"

Lovegood raised his hand high in the air and was immediately followed by eleven others. Harry gaped with open mouth at the fast response. Since Snape wasn't allowed to vote, that meant that everyone had voted in his favour. Everyone! Snape squeezed his shoulder in excitement and Harry swallowed thickly.

"Then it appears we have reached an accord," Lovegood said. "Congratulations, Master Potter. "I am certain that we may keep expecting great things from you."

"Thank you," Harry said breathlessly. "Thank you all for this honour. I – I don't know what to say."

Lovegood and several others chuckled.

"Eloquent as always, Mr Potter," Snape teased from behind him. Harry looked at his father to see his eyes shining with pride. Harry had never seen the man smile brighter. "Well done, my son," he said. "You deserve this."

Harry quickly wiped his eyes and grinned. He had done it. He had finally done it. Now, there was only one more step he had to take.

He had long since decided just what it was that he wanted to do. That was why he stopped Professor Slughorn as they reached the bottom of those awful stairs.

"Well done, Harry," Slughorn said in obvious delight as he clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Well done, indeed. Your mother would be proud."

"She is," Harry agreed. "But I was wondering about something."

"Do tell, Harry," Slughorn said eagerly. "Anything I can help with, I will."

"Well, I was wondering if you were still planning on teaching next year?" Harry asked. "If you don't mind my saying, it appears to me that you're rather tired of all of this."

Slughorn sighed, stroking his chin in thought. "While I do love to teach, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the students who seem keen on… thinking outside of the box, so to speak," he admitted. "Your Ms Lovegood is a fine example of that. But with Severus on the defence post, I fear that the job might go to someone who is simply not qualified if I went back into retirement. Just look at what happened with Defence Against the Dark Arts for all those years."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I hear what you're saying sir," he said. "But how would you feel about me as the next teacher?"

"You?" Slughorn asked, a smile broadening on his face as his eyes began to shine. He clapped his hands together. "My boy, that would be a fabulous idea. If you're serious about this, I would happily recommend you to Albus."

Harry winked cheekily at Slughorn. "I'm very serious," he said. "Though I can only _hope_ to be as good a teacher as you are, sir."

Slughorn snorted. "I may be easy to flatter but even I see you being blatantly modest." He sighed happily. "Yes, you I could happily allow to take my position. But only you."

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

Harry was checking himself in the mirror, trying to see the back of his robes as Snape was trying to button them for him.

"Would you stop squirming so much?" Snape chided. "You're going to wrinkle them."

"I just don't get it," Harry sighed. "My robes are exactly the same as yours and yet they don't…"

Snape smirked. "They don't what?"

"You know," Harry said, making a wavy movement with his hand. "They don't billow!"

Snape chuckled as he walked around Harry, eyeing him critically. "You know," he said. "I will let you in on my secret as long as you promise not to tell a single soul."

Harry grinned as he watched Snape from the mirror. "You have my word," he said solemnly.

"You see," Snape said softly, "everyone thinks that I must use a spell on my robes for them to get like that. But they're wrong. What I truly use –" With an exaggerated flourish, Snape produced a small vial from his robes. "- Is this!"

"A potion!" Harry smacked himself on the forehead. "I should have known."

"Use this one on your robes," Snape said. "A few drops should suffice. And if you really like it, I can give you the recipe later. Just don't be surprised if the students start referring to you as a bat."

"Brilliant," Harry said in awe. "I'll make good use of it."

"I'm sure you will," Snape said. "Now be off. You can't be late for your first class."

Harry winked at him. "Only by a minute," he said cheekily.

* * *

The door to the potions lab opened with a bang as Harry Potter – the new Potions Professor – stormed into the classroom. Taking long, hasty strides, he kept walking – his robes billowing behind him - until he reached the front of the class, then allowed his cold and foreboding glare to pierce every student's gaze, calling them to attention without a word.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class," he said icily, his voice booming through the otherwise quiet classroom. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few –" he stopped his gaze at an entirely random Gryffindor, "- Who possess, the predisposition…"

It suddenly became far too much. Harry started laughing, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture as he casually hopped onto his desk. "I can't do this," he told his new students, chuckling all the while. Some of the first-years shared an awkward grin between them.

"Let's try a different approach, shall we? I'm Harry Potter and that over there is my owl Hedwig," he said pointing at the snowy owl who sat on a perch in the corner. "If she tells you you're doing something wrong, you'd best listen. She's usually right. Now, which one of you knows where to look if you needed a bezoar?"

* * *

**_The end._**

* * *

_I can't believe that the series has come to an end at last yet here we are. It's only fitting that I say a few things._

_First, I want to thank my beta and friend for all of his hard work. On the site he is known as **Pagemaster4TW** and on the discord channel as **Sneaky_Prawn**. He has gone far beyond what a regular beta would do. He's been here for me since the beginning of TPM and has helped not only by reading the chapters beforehand and unearthing the mistakes but also by engaging in hour-long brainstorming sessions with me. without him, TPM would probably be 20 chapters less long. Thank you Sneaks! I know we didn't always see eye to eye but you really made a difference._

_Secondly, I want to thank all of the people who have read the trilogy from start to finish. Especially those who have patiently waited for me to upload time and time again. A special thanks to those who reviewed and to FallingToast/FallingBread who has even made fanart for the series._

**_If I might ask you one last time to send me a review to tell me how you felt about TPM but also which of the three stories you liked best. I am very eager to find out._**

_I will not be gone for long. Soon, I'll start on a new mentor story. I hope to see you all there to join me on a new journey. Expect the first chapter of 'The Subterfuge' on Friday._

_Thank you all!_


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